The Queen's Irony
by Lion Cub 101
Summary: After their 300 year honeymoon, Zeus showed his true colors when he cheated on Hera with the beautiful Leto. Now in the 21st century he has taken it a step further by making a place for a new mistress of his on Olympus. Hera is furious. She plans something for Zeus's new floozy so he never forgets to never cross her, but what happens when she ends up falling for this other woman?
1. Chapter 1

Her name was Adiya. The moment she stepped foot upon Olympus Hera loathed her. She hated how everyone welcomed the pathetic girl with a smile and a charming word. She hated the way everyone looked at her the way Hermes and Apollo looked at each other during their outings together. She hated seeing Zeus take her hand and have the audacity to show her off to Olympus.

She watched it all from her throne. Not once saying a word or moving from her seat. She scowled at the girl. Her eyes, burning through the girl's sunny hair and burnt skin. Her fingers, twitching every time the girl's vibrant ocean eyes met Zeus' stormy ones. Her lip curled everytime she let loose one of her blinding smiles from those pink, youthful lips. Her mind becoming more and more blind with rage every time the girl moved from one place to another as if dancing. Her lilac dress danced with her while the cherry belt around her waist grabbed on tightly, refusing to let go of her curves.

Before the wench even set foot inside the throne room Hera had been judging her. She watched through the window as Zeus flaunted his latest catch. Hera scoffed, watching the mortal step through rocks, or anything potentially harmful to her legs, because despite being barefoot her feet remained smooth and untarnished. She was beautiful. Perhaps the most by far of all of Zeus' conquests.

A low growl rose from her throat as Ganymede approached her with a goblet of wine. She downed the cup in one swing and sh over it back into his hand, continuing her observation. Ganymede had followed her eye out the window and rose his brows. He stepped away from the Chambers, disappearing into the kitchen. That's when the throne room doors opened.

Once the show was done, Zeus finally seemed to notice his wife on her throne with a gaze that would turn Medusa to stone. Adiya turned to Hera as well and the two women shared a tense stare off. The other gods in the room had gone silent. They gave the women their space and just when the tension became thick enough that no other strip of air was left in the room; Hera stood.  
They watched in abeyance as the queen of the gods made her way from her throne to the girl's direction; her chocolate hair bouncing behind her.

Adiya couldn't look away. Hera was beautiful in her rage. Her large, brown eyes giving her such a glare it sent shivers down her spine and her fair skin matched nicely with the basil dress, its skirt fluttering angrily. A brown, leather belt clung to her waist outlining the goddess's curves while also trapping the skirt's unbridled rage.

She moved like a river, finding its way to the ocean; and like every other god, Adiya stared at the queen intently. Bile rose in her throat. She was scared, yet struck with awe for the woman before her. She who held her head high and her golden crown even higher; walked right by her.

Not a second glance or a snide remark. Not a scoff or swat. Not a curse nor any breath escaped her plump lips. She walked past Zeus and his new conquest and left the chamber without another word.

Once she was gone, oxygen made itself present in the room. And if anyone with common sense knew what would happen next. They'd say that Tartarus itself had been brought up from the deepest pit of Hades and been set upon Olympus, the new home for the mistress of Zeus, and the bane of Hera.

 **~o0o~**

A year had come and gone and Zeus' little stunt was still the talk of the century. It seemed to Hera that everywhere she turned some immortal was talking about the little whore.

"Oh isn't she just wonderful?"

"Isn't she gorgeous?"

"How generous!"

"How humble!"

"How kind!"

"How hot!"

And everywhere she turned she could hear the slight hiss of whispers from those same busybodies.

"Looks like Hera's gotta share her bed with two people now, but I mean. When hasn't she?"

"Does she sleep on her couch when they're fucking?"

"I wonder what she'll do to this one?"

"Think Zeus has forgotten about her yet?"

"Adiya to Hera? Adiya any day. At least she knows what comes out of an ass."

And everyday it was the same thing. The only place she'd get any rest from the constant slander was the mortal world. She favored Russia. She'd often go during winter when the snow would pile up around her and she could relish in the biting embrace of the blanket around her. And when it wasn't snowing, she liked visiting Saint Petersburg just to watch the gondolas peacefully float down the rivers. Sometimes she'd go and visit the Moscow cathedral and admire its bright colors or go and gawk at the Moscow palace in all its elegance.

But when she just wanted to lighten her mood and forget her miserable life on Olympus she would visit Krasnodar and sit in the middle of the sunflower fields taking in the joyful yellow color of the petals and admiring the plants' habit of always following the sun. Something she wished she could have done long ago before Zeus had forced away her maidenhood.

He'd done so many things to her throughout the years. So many unimaginable things that it was too painful for her to mention. And yet, she always stood by his side.

She'd endured beatings, infidelity, rape, and humiliation. She'd endured the pain of Zeus pining after his own daughters and her being beaten for defending them. She did what she could to protect Ares from his father's fist.

And what was her reward?

The permanent residence of another one of Zeus' harlots in her own home.

Enough was enough.

She would make an example of this wench. And the torment she would bring on this bitch would make everything else she had ever done acceptable.

She would get her revenge. Even if she had to rip her own heart out for it.


	2. Chapter 2

Hera opened the door to her temple and the scent of lasagna hit her. She slammed the door behind her and stormed into the kitchen. Just as she thought. The little bawd was cooking. Hera gripped her forearm and wrenched her out of the kitchen.

"Who do you think are strolling around _my_ house like you belong in it!" Hera screeched.

"Zeus was hungry. He sent me to make something!" she responded.

"I suppose it was after the two of you had your little fun. Get out! I don't want to see you here! Get out! Of my house!" Hera's voice became shrill, the sound of thunder echoed behind it. Adiya took a step back but then she set her jaw,"No. I live here now. Whether you like it or not. You'll just have to deal with me cooking for you and your husband from now on."

Hera scoffed,"Yeah, like I'm going to let some streetwalker cook my food for me. I already have servants who do everything you do except they respect me and they stay out of Zeus's pants. You on the other hand, you only need to stay on Zeus's good side. As long as he's happy you can't be thrown off Olympus. But let me tell you something. I am _his wife_. This is _my_ house. You are intruding _my_ home. And I will not tolerate some _trollop_ waltzing around it like she's the lady in charge." Hera stepped closer to Adiya.

The two women shared a tense gaze, Hera was taller, no question. But Adiya wasn't about to be intimidated by her. But she also didn't want to provoke the goddess. Adiya closed her eyes and took a deep breath and leveled her eyes so she looked at Hera's neck.

"Well, are you going to leave or will I have to make you?"

Adiya softened a bit. She could see it. The bruise Zeus left on Hera's shoulder four days ago. It was fading but it was still there. By instinct Adiya covered the mark Zeus left on her own neck when they made love.

Hera hissed,"What are you covering it for? The whole mountain knows what you are and what you do."

Hera grabbed a fistful of Adiya's hair and yanked it so they shared the same gaze,"I don't ever want to see you anywhere in this house but the bedroom and the front door. If I catch you galloping around here like you own the place I will make your life even more miserable and pathetic than I'm already going to make it."

Gripping tightly onto her hair she dragged Adiya to the front door. She slammed it open and threw her out. Adiya landed at the bottom of the steps like a heap of trash. A few gods that had been taking a stroll stopped to stare.

Great, Hera just fueled their gossip even more. She'll never hear the end of it.

"I warned you, you little bitch! When I tell you to leave you do not act 'tough.' You do as I say and leave. And to think that I thought you were good at following orders, tramp."

Before Hera could close the door she heard something she hoped she had imagined for the well-being of others.

She looked back at the girl she had dropped off on the bottom step and snapped,"What?"

Adiya shook with rage. She looked up at Hera trying to keep hot tears from falling out. She wasn't like Hera who had a stone heart. Whether she was mad or frustrated, happy or sad Adiya cried. Right now, facing off against the queen of the gods, crying wasn't a luxury she could afford.

"I called you a cunt. Or do you prefer the word asshole? Or witch? How about shrew. Tell me which is your preference, bitch."

The other gods backed away a bit but they continued to gawk at the scene in front of them. Hera fumed her eyes becoming darker with every insult Adiya threw at her,"Lady Hera is fine. I hope you have a busy day of work, slut."

Adiya exploded,"That's it! That's enough! You have a problem with me sleeping with Zeus? Confront _him_ about it! But don't be a little rat and humiliate me!"

Hera let out a laugh,"Me? Humiliate you? My dear, you do that without my help. And it isn't my fault Zeus finds women who'll spread their legs for him at his request. It's your choice whether you'll lay on your back or not," Hera turned her back to the world ready to step back inside.

"Well I'm not the one married to him and yet he still prefers me over you."

There was a tense. Hera hovered through the doorway. She let the words sink in. And she turned back to face her. Only Adiya saw it. The hurt in her eyes. Hera's face read anger, her fists read wrath, her shaking body read rage. But the glare Hera held wasn't because Adiya rendered her speechless. It was because she told her the truth. A truth Hera had been denying since Zeus slept with Leto. A truth that hurt Hera more than she let on.

She made her way to Adiya and grabbed her by the arm. It was then she realized Hera was like her. She held tears in her eyes but years of being in the same spot over and over again it was easier for her not to crumble. The grip Hera held on her was enough to bruise her arm and she pulled her to her roughly.

"You're very lucky that there are others around. Otherwise you would not be standing here right now," she growled. "I advise you to watch that tongue of yours whenever you speak with me. Because the next time I will not be as forgiving."

She pushed her away so Adiya landed on the road. She looked up at the queen who was finally heading inside and slammed the door. The storm above her was boiling and the wind blew at her dress.

The gods that had been watching helped her up and comforted her telling her not to worry. But she paid no mind to them. Her eyes were set upon the large temple. And as she was led away she felt the smallest dot of rain on her arm. She looked up. It was beginning to drizzle.

 **~o0o~**

Adiya walked through Olympus hearing the gossip from the other gods from yesterday's events. She wished it was something she could forget. Was it bad if she felt guilty for what she said? Maybe it was because everyone cheered her on for putting Hera in her place. At one point Hermes fluttered up to her congratulating her for "a roast well done." She only nodded and gave them half hearted smiles and continued to walk. It didn't surprise her that Hera wasn't present today. Adiya was glad. She didn't even want to know what would happen if the goddess heard any of the gossip that went around Olympus.

She ended up at a small park. As she wandered around she kept replaying yesterday's events. She couldn't help but cringe at how insensitive she was toward Hera. She had never uttered a bad word to anyone in her lifetime. Not even to the bully from ninth grade that would sometimes touch her and even stalk her after school.

Adiya knew she crossed a line with Hera but something about her just made you snap. The woman had a talent. She could make Martin Luther King snap under the rage Hera would fuel and have him strangle someone. Hera would've been an acceptable candidate as goddess of war.

Adiya sighed. She walked over to a stone patio that hovered just outside of the mountain and looked over it. She could see the mortal world below.

If only there was a way to get on Hera's good side. She couldn't say no to Zeus when he summoned her. She was afraid of him becoming angry and forcing himself on her or blaming her rejection on Hera and doing something worst.

She looked behind her and saw Demeter. She was a tall woman with copper hair pulled behind her into a lose braid and darker skin. Her cedar eyes looked at the plants lovingly as she watered them. Her toga was messy, it was covered in dirt and grass stuck out from certain places. Maybe she should ask where Hera was. She wanted to apologize.

"Demi, would you happen to know where Hera is?"

Demeter gave her a forced smile. Adiya had gotten the feeling that Hera's siblings, save Zeus, didn't like her very much. She realized that the second month she had been on Olympus when she decided to have a small conversation with Hestia. The latter was polite for the most part. But her gaze was so intense she just couldn't talk with her anymore.

"Don't worry, sweetie. Zeus is the only one in their temple at the moment. You're safe."

"No no. I'm looking for Hera. I want to speak with her."

Demeter took on a fierceness in her voice and her eyes gave off a protective look,"Now listen here, Adiya. You are a very kind girl, but I suggest you leave Hera alone especially after the fight you and my sister held yesterday."

"I..I understand. But Lady Demeter, i want to apologize. I know what I said crossed the line. I feel guilty. I want to-"

Demeter showed her true colors, glaring at Adiya,"You should feel guilty. You're sleeping with her husband and on top of that you disrespect her."

"I try not to. But she disrespected me first. I just snapped-"

"You disrespected my sister the moment you let Zeus mount you. But if you do wish to apologize go back to her home tomorrow. She won't be on Olympus until then," she turned away and began walking away.

"But where did she go!?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Demeter taunted.

Adiya deflated. She went back to the patio and she stayed there for the entire day.

 **~o0o~**

Adiya had fallen asleep on that same patio. She was sitting on the floor her head resting against the pillar supporting the arm rest. She woke up to the morning rays shining on her face. She still felt like crap.

She stood up stretching and looked over the side. As she stared at the passing traffic below she realized she was overlooking a different city than she was yesterday. While she kept her attention on the city Hermes came up from behind her.

"Hi," he called to her.

She jumped and turned back toward the blond. Hermes gave her an impish smile. He wasn't very tall and his blue eyes poked fun at her. His curly hair complimented the dwarfish ears he had and his andenoidal-like voice didn't help him. He was lean from all the running he did however. Today he wore his converse and a white shirt with jeans. He looked weird when he wasn't in Greek robes.

"Ah, hi Hermes. Need anything?"

He twiddled his staff between his fingers looking uncomfortable,"Well not me. My father..Zeus is calling you, again."

"Oh..er-tell him..I'll be there.."

Hermes nodded and fluttered away. She sighed and turned back to the city resting her head on her hand. She didn't want to to keep doing this. It was one thing to do it for money but now she was doing it out of fear of punishment. She couldn't live this way, even if the "reward" was living like a goddess.

She lifted herself onto the fence and stood on top looking down at the city below. The wind played with her blonde hair and danced with the ruffles of her dress. Finally she looked up. She could see the sun shining brightly against the blue sky. What a beautiful day.

She stepped off the ledge.


	3. Chapter 3

She felt herself fall, for two seconds. Two arms wrapped themselves around her stomach and jerked her back over the fence. She wriggled in the arms of her saviour upset for being foiled.

"Hey! What was that for? What's your problem?" Adiya cried out. She was dropped back onto solid ground with a heavy thud.

Then she heard her voice. It was a British tone, a pleasant female voice. She immediately recognized it as _her_ voice and thought out of everyone why was it _her_ that saved her,"What's my problem? Sweetie, you just about almost committed suicide. With my reputation it would've turned into murder in a heartbeat. What were you thinking anyway? Jumping off. That's a cowardly way to go you know?"

Adiya didn't answer as she continued to gawk at the queen of the gods. She was hunched over resting on the ledge trying to steady her breathing. She shook her head at Adiya disappointedly,"I know you have no morals but that's a line you do not cross, child. Have you really dug yourself that deep?"

Hera had been walking back to her temple after visiting Krasnodar. She saw Adiya standing on the ledge and she mentally face palmed thinking, _This harpy is going to send me to Tartarus_. She had run from one end of the park to the other in a speed that would've made Hermes proud and had caught her just as she was about to fall.

Finally she caught her own breath and noticed Adiya still staring in shock. Hera glowered,"Oh don't flatter yourself. You do realize that if I'd had let you fall your suicide attempt would have looked 'too staged' and was 'trying to distract from the obvious answer which is murder.' Zeus would've had my head by the end of the week."

After a bit of awkward silence Adiya broke the tension with the only words she could think of saying to Hera, "Thank you." She avoided making eye contact with Hera. She didn't want to offend her and she certainly didn't want to talk about why she was jumping mountains into cities below. She felt shameful and she wondered if Hera had anything to do with that.

Hera sighed closing her eyes and regained her composure,"Okay, I am worried, but only because _your_ stupidity can get _me_ into trouble. Why did you do that?" Adiya only shook her head looking away in shame.

Hera gave a frustrated sigh and cupped her chin, forcing her to look at the goddess directly,"Come now, love. Nothing you say will make me hate you more than I already do. But just in case, I do advise you to choose your words wisely."

"..I-I didn't want to go to Zeus today. I was tired of being used just for my...for my..." Adiya forced her head back down and stared at her hands which lay in her lap.

Hera straightened herself taken aback by her response, she could already feel her blood boiling,"He summoned you?" The wench nodded.

"I disappear for a day or two he thinks it's okay to fuck his little prostitute. The nerve of y-" Hera scowled. She stopped after seeing a small tear run down Adiya's cheek.

Hera let out another short growl. She couldn't let Zeus or any other god see her cry especially not with Hera present on Olympus. Her reputation was bad enough with the constant slander and the beatings she received from Zeus had gotten so bad it hurt to move, and all because of the constant torment she'd give this pathetic girl. And if Adiya went to Zeus bawling like a child, only the fates know how much worst it'd get.

She held out a hand to her,"Stand up, you little vex. You look pathetic on your knees like that."

The girl got to her feet trembling. She was afraid Hera would do something to her and so she didn't take her hand. Hera shrugged. Understandable.

But she needed to get her to stop crying. Hera flicked her hand and a handkerchief appeared she gave it to Adiya who took it and dabbed her eyes.

Another moment's silence. The two women stood still for an uncomfortably long time. Adiya looked up, Hera was looking around the park making sure they were the only two, Adiya looked back down and heard the latter give out an exasperated sigh. Adiya looked back up at the goddess who had taken out a pack of cigarettes and put one in her mouth. She took a long drag and blew the smoke out over her shoulder facing the patio.

"You smoke?" Adiya asked.

Hera shrugged,"Well, when you have a family as dramatic and dysfunctional as mine there's no other way to roll off the stress of keeping them together. Why? Do you want one?"

Adiya shook her head trying not to look disgusted. As a child she hated the cigarette smoke her father would leave behind in the house. She developed lung problems due to the smoke. But she hated the cigarettes themselves. Adiya rubbed her forearm her finger tracing a faint but still visible cigarette burn. She looked up at Hera who kept her gaze on the horizon and eyed the also fading bruise on her neck.

How did she do it? How could she take the beatings and insults and still stand proud with her head held high? Cigarettes alone weren't enough. They couldn't be the only thing keeping her from stopping.

Hera noticed her staring from the corner of her eye, she looked back down to her with a quizzical glare,"What the hell are you still doing here? My husband called for you, didn't he?"

Adiya was taken aback by her response. Hera's glare chilled her blood but it also made her seem more attractive. Her intense brown eyes were just so..beautiful. The word itself wasn't enough to describe them.

"He-he did." she stuttered.

"Then what are you waiting for? You're his little whore, you've got a job to do."

Adiya took a step back unsure to follow directions or not. Was this a trick? Hera's face turned red with anger,"Go!"

Not a trick. An order. Adiya scampered off toward Zeus and Hera's temple. She never thought she would hate her life more than she did now. As she walked through that bedroom door Zeus waited for her on the bed. When he took her once again she cried. She told him it was because of the pain but she never specified what kind.

 **~o0o~**

 **Para jhu,**

 **Agradeço a avaliação que você me deu no outro dia. Eu não tinha como saber si minha idéia ou a história em si era boa ou pelo menos interesante. E su ravisão o meo dia. Obrigado. Eu também desejo me desculpar pela minha gramática quebrada, já que não falo esta linguagem.**

 **And thank you Kalayn for your review. As short as it was it's still enough to keep me motivated for this story.**

 **This chapter was a bit difficult to write. Certain events would happen that just seemed out of character for both Hera and Adiya. Ultimately I ended up with this chapter. I hope you all enjoy!**

 **~LionCub101**


	4. Chapter 4

As Adiya made her way down the stairs from an afternoon with Zeus she could hear the faint music of a piano. She looked down the hall next to the staircase and could hear the haunting echo of the piano. She remembered Hera's threat from the other day and thought better of it to go and explore but something about the music was just so passionate and familiar, but there was also a certain somberness to it. She had to know who it was. She had her suspicions as to who it was but it couldn't be. She wasn't here at the moment. She was still back at the park with her cigarettes.

So she dared walk down the hall past many closed doors to an open chamber that seemed like a ball room. The music danced around the white, marble walls and the golden baseboards. It intermingled with the heavenly light shining through the large windows and it ducked and weaved through the elegant curtains that adorned the stained glass. She felt herself being lured out to the center and the music twirled with her and danced. Her bare feet hugging the welcoming but cold, golden white granite floor. She danced around the room the music accompanying her every step of the way.

Suddenly the piano made a strange noise that halted the music. She turned in the direction of the bad note to find Hera sitting from the piano's bench, glaring at her,"What do you think you're doing."

Adiya saw her life flash before her eyes and trembled,"I'm-I'm sorry. I heard the music and I thought it was pretty. I only wanted to take a peek to see who was playing."

"You did more than just take a peek. You tainted the floor with your silly twirls. I thought I told you I didn't want to see you anywhere in my home but the bedroom and the front door!" thunder echoed once more and the golden cheer the ballroom once held turned into a grey tomb.

"I'm-I'm sorry, Lady Hera. I was only curious. I'll get going. I'm sorry for disturbing you,"Adiya quickly made her way out of the temple and out the front door. Hera didn't chase after her. She was tired. She didn't want anymore drama. But she could feel the anger inside boiling.

She had been playing with the piano's keys her mind entranced with the music and the motion of her fingers dancing along the keyboard she never acknowledged Adiya dancing behind her until she looked up at the music sheet and saw her reflection in the golden music rack.

Hera looked around the now sullen chamber and scowled at it. There really wasn't a place where she could relax on Olympus was there? Adiya took care of that question and now the chamber was cold and hostile with her sudden disappearance. What did that bitch have that she didn't? Hera swore that the girl was one song away from finding her happily ever. Adiya just needed to walk into a room and suddenly everyone burst into a gleeful song but when Hera entered it was always quiet or some disagreement would just happen to come up.

Hera let out an inhumane battle cry and slammed her fists back onto keyboard in anger which caused the fall board to, well, fall right onto her unsuspecting hands. She let out a cry as she pulled out her hands from the sandwich and the fall board slammed shut hiding the keyboard.

She held her hands to her bosom cradling them and held back tears. It wasn't fair. While she got hate and resentment Adiya received love and joy in the same palace Hera lived in. Hera couldn't help wonder why Adiya was standing on the ledge ready to end her life when she had it all.

Beauty. Grace. Friends. Love.

She was a little whore that had everything handed to her at request while she was the queen of the gods who had to fetch everything for herself. Why?

She shook herself away from the thought of Little Miss. Perfect and stormed out the of ballroom to her own bed chambers ready to call it a day.

 **~o0o~**

Adiya walked down the trail of Olympus to what the gods called The Square. It was like a town center for a village. There were small stores lined up on the side of the road and another park that was squeezed in between two buildings, one building dedicating itself to selling books on charms and the other books on hexes. She continued walking until she reached a dance hall and went inside.

She heard the laughter of the nine muses along with a few other gods as they break danced to _Reckless_ by Chris Taylor.

It was like looking at nine mirrors reflecting the same person. The muses had caramel skin and curly, short black hair with shimmering dark eyes. They all had the same upturned nose and the same long legs and lean, strong bodies. They moved in unison in a way that only choreographed professionals dreamed of moving. The only way Adiya could tell apart which muse was which was the different styles of clothing each wore and the make up and accessories they'd wear to match it.

At the end of their routine Apollo clapped at their performance with a blinding smile. He had a golden comb over and dodger blue eyes. His skin seemed to glow with a sunny light and it was absolutely natural to see him in jeans and white t-shirt and flannel. His white vans remained spotless.

In a deep, attractive voice he announced,"That was great! But I noticed you were lacking in energy a bit Terpsichore, what's up?"

Said muse wore baggy, camouflage pants and red crop top. She shrugged her blue eyes looking at the floor shamefully,"I'm just not feeling it, man. There's something about this routine that just doesn't flow."

Another muse with a black shirt and black yoga pants placed her hand on Terpsichore's shoulder. She held a bright smile that just made you want to laugh from how wide and almost silly it was.

"Well, you're the muse of dance. If you don't dig it. Fix it."

Apollo nodded gesturing to her,"Thalia's right. If you feel that something isn't right right figure it out and change it but we need to have it ready by the Spring Solstice."

The muses all agreed. Finally one of them noticed Adiya sitting like a neglected puppy on the sides. She had black lipstick and somber look in her eye. She wore all black clothes and a skirt with some shorts underneath,"Hey, Adiya is here. Maybe she can help."

Immediately the other muses perked up and agreed again. Terpsichore led her to Apollo,"I just need you to pay attention. Maybe you can catch what I can't."

Again the music started but before they could start their routine again a loud clash of thunder echoed and the lights in the studio went out including the music. The goddesses all jeered.

"Well, isn't that _shocking_. And just when we were about to shed some _light_ on the situation," Thalia, at least that's who Adiya thought it was, giggled while her sisters groaned.

"Well, I guess we'll call it a day, guys," Adiya assumed it was Terpsichore who spoke. The muses packed up except for two.

They gathered around her and Apollo. Apollo turned to her,"So what brings you here today, Adiya?"

Adiya shrugged,"I just left Zeus and Hera's and I figured I might as well come here."

"You ever thought of being a dancer before?" Thalia chugged a bottle of nectar. Adiya shrugged,"It might have crossed my mind when I was in high school but it never really called to me."

Apollo gestured outside to the sleet of rain and the raging lightning. She knew he was trying to keep Thalia from straying from the topic at hand. That topic being the monstrous storm brewing outside which Adiya caused,"Was Hera there?"

She nodded relaying the events of what had happened. The three gods looked outside. Apollo rubbed his neck,"She's probably crying."

"Who is? Hera?" Adiya asked.

He nodded,"There's an old story that everytime Zeus and Hera argue they create storms. When Zeus argues lightning flashes. When Hera argues back that's the thunder and when it rains she's crying. But no one has ever seen her cry when it rains."

Adiya huffed. It was hard for her to believe Hera, the queen of the gods, cried. She didn't seem like the kind of woman who'd break down into tears. "If you've never seen her shed a tear when it rains why is it still a thing?"

Thalia lowered her voice as if someone was listening to the conversation,"Not many do. But isn't it convenient that it rains everytime Zeus does something to her that would make someone _normal_ cry?"

Adiya didn't like how Thalia called Hera weird. The woman couldn't cry. Adiya had dealt with people like her before, everyone of them thought that any kind of emotion shown was a sign of weakness. Hera practically lived by the rule. But still. She couldn't help but to think about the story a bit.

The first night Adiya stayed on Olympus there had been a lightning storm and a while later when the clouds no longer radiated light and thunder didn't boom it began to rain.

Adiya sat at a window seat the studio had and looked out at the window. While she saw two raindrops race against each other she remembered the name of the song Hera was playing, _Tears in Heaven_ by Eric Clapton.

 **~o0o** ~

A week later Hera was overlooking the preparations for the Spring Solstice. Persephone would arrive tomorrow and Demeter would be a pain if something went wrong. Unfortunately she had Adiya to deal with.

The girl just wouldn't stop. She kept pestering Hera that she could help and Hera kept saying no. What was with that girl and her Mother Teresa act?

Speak of the devil. Adiya walked up to Hera. Today she was in an orange sundress,"Hera, let me help. You're biting off more than you can chew."

"I can handle it. I've planned bigger things before. Now go away. You're distracting me,"once again the girl left in a huff.

Only to return holding some baskets with lanterns a few moments later. Hera gave her a wary look,"What are you doing? I thought I told you not to help."

Adiya batted her eyes innocently,"Zeus requested my help. You're not saying I should disobey orders from the king of the gods now, are you?"

Hera gave her a growl and turned away from the girl. Adiya responded with a smirk and walked off to hand the baskets to Hermes. The latter took the baskets happily,"Oh hey. Zeus is asking for you and Hera. He's in the throne room."

Adiya nodded and head back to the ballroom but Hera wasn't there. She asked a servant if they knew where she had gone they told her to look in Hera's bedroom.

Adiya was a bit hesitant but she wouldn't be going against Hera's wishes. She did say she only wanted to see Adiya in the bedroom and the front door. And so she went to the bedroom. She stood in front of the oak door for a bit distracting herself with carvings the door held on its surface when she couldn't distract herself any longer she finally opened the large door. She looked around the room searching for Hera.

It was a room that rivaled in size to the ballroom. The bed was neatly made with silk velvet sheets and a canopy hovered over the bed with drapes cascading down from it. The rest of the bedroom looked like a second living room. There was a cushioned bench at the foot of the bed and following that was a sofa set surrounding a TV. Off to the side was a golden hallway that led to a bathroom and on the other side of this hallway was a dresser where Hera sat.

Adiya blushed. Hera wasn't dressed. Her bare back was to her so the latter didn't notice the former enter the room. She reached for a bottle of wine on the dresser and downed it. She reached in her closet and took out some Greek robes. While she dressed Adiya noticed every marking and scar Zeus would inflict on Hera.

She covered them all well save for the one on her neck. Hera looked at herself in the mirror, she tried. She pulled at her robes trying to hide the bruise with her sleeve but then she'd reveal her white arms underneath and the pattern of bruises that lay on it. She finally gave up again and dabbed a bit of make up over it so it looked like it was fading.

Adiya watched from the front door. Her heart hurt as she watched Hera try to cover for her husband. And she felt guilty as she watched her try to make herself look nice to catch his attention. She could see her in the mirror. She seemed tired but she still held a kind of dignity that only she could muster.

After a bit Hera's eyes met Adiya's through the mirror and she lividly turned in her seat,"What are you doing? How long have you been there?"

Adiya panicked. She couldn't utter a word only noises. She felt her face flush the longer she tried to say something. Hera only went red with rage,"Has no one ever taught you to knock before entering? What the hell are you doing here, you slimy little wretch! How long were you standing there? Say something before I beat it out of you, twit!"

Adiya gulped and stepped out of the room holding her hands up defensively while Hera loomed over her dangerously. "Z-Z-Zeus called for the b-b-both of us. I-I-I-I th-thought you'd be in y-your room and I c-came to tell you," she managed.

Hera's glare still scorched through her,"How long were you there?"

Adiya gulped,"I-I-I walked in while-while you were getting dressed-"

Hera's eyes flashed with rage,"You what!?"

"I'm-I'm sorry! I'm just so used to going in without knocking that I forgot Zeus wasn't-" thunder rumbled when Hera heard the sentence and Adiya knew she screwed up.

Once again Adiya saw her life flash before her eyes as she sped down the stairs Hera right behind her. As she hurried down she felt a hand on her shoulder and she stumbled forward, rolling down the rest of the way. The commotion the two women had created caught the attention of Hermes and Athena who rushed to the stairs at the sound of Adiya's fall.

Once there they found the mortal girl laying at the bottom of the stairs looking up at the raging goddess. Adiya was bleeding from her forehead as she looked up in shock at the queen of the gods.

Hera always had a fair share of words to throw at the girl but she never actually did her any harm until today.

Athena rushed to Adiya's aid. She was a tall goddess with raven hair and grey eyes. Her skin was tan and she wore a simple greek robe with golden sandals and battle armor. Her helmet flew off as she rushed to the girl's aid. She looked up at Hera as if she were Ares and in a shrill accent cried,"Have you gone mad!? You could've killed her!"

Hera only scoffed,"Oh, please. She barely has a scratch on her."

Hermes helped Adiya stand glaring up at the queen,"A scratch? To a mortal this could be fatal, Hera!"

Before Hera could retaliate the front door opened and an imposing man stepped inside. He wore a nice business suit and a trimmed beard rested on his face. His blond, grey hair was combed over with a side parting and his Prussian blue eyes held an intimidating source of power in them.

He walked over to Adiya and examined the wound on her forehead and then glared at Hera,"What did you do."

Shock turned to anger as Adiya pulled away from the two gods and stormed up the stairs," **She pushed me down the fucking stairs!** "

"I barely touched you! I gave you a small nudge and you _flew_ down the stairs!"

"A small nudge wouldn't have made me fall! You **_pushed_** me!" Adiya and Hera were finally level with each other the two held an intense glare with each other.

Hera scoffed,"I would have never laid a hand on you if I knew you would fall! It was a mistake!"

Adiya finally began to corner Hera against the wall,"You knew that would happen! We're on the fucking stairs, Hera! You pushed me on purpose!"

She let her rage flow and she pushed Hera against the wall and by instinct Hera did what she normally did when she was pushed. She slapped her attacker.

The three gods rushed up the stairs before it could escalate further. They pulled apart the two women as they rushed at each other claws at the ready. Zeus boomed," **That will be quite enough!** You two will learn to live with each other's company from here on out. Adiya you shall live in my home from now on."

Hera let out a cry,"What? It's not enough to have her sleep in my bed! Now I have to share the same roof with her!"

Zeus turned to Hera sharply. He held up a hand to silence her and it worked effectively on Hera,"Now. It's been a year. And you're still acting like a child over such a small act."

Hera dared,"I have reason to be! Your 'small act' involved the bringing of this tramp into _my_ home and you expect _me_ to welcome her with open arms!"

Zeus and Hera held their own glaring contest the sound of thunder echoing outside. What ended the contest was the flash of lightning and Hera's anger dropped along with a pitiful thud of thunder. She only gave Adiya a resigned look. She huffed and stormed up to her room slamming the door shut.

Zeus took in a breath before turning to Adiya. He kissed her hand as an apology and ordered her to be taken to Apollo to get checked up on. Adiya's own anger lifted away as she watched Zeus slam the door of his bedroom shut behind him.


	5. Chapter 5

Hera still hadn't come out of her room. Actually, Zeus hadn't summoned Adiya since the day he declared he would live with them. She felt uncomfortable as she watched Apollo, Hermes, and a few of the muses move around boxes containing her belongings into a room across the hall from Zeus and Hera's. This room was bage with a nice comfy bed and and a sofa on the side. A dresser stood shyly in the corner the TV outdoing it in glory somehow.

She looked out at the hall at Hera's door. A part of her hoped Hera would come and kick her out but she knew that was unlikely. She remembered the violent storm that had happened that night she and Hera fought. The outcome of the storm announcing Zeus's victory. She sighed and left back to her old home.

She walked back into the square and up to an empty house. She had been offered a temple but she never liked the idea of living in a big fancy mansion. She always preferred a more domesticated kind of home. She walked in looking around the empty rooms and closed the door behind her.

She walked down the hall to the master bedroom and sat in the center staring out the window at the apple tree that stood in the backyard. Why was Hera going through with this? The first month of Adiya's stay was terrifying. Someone was always with her because they were afraid Hera would try to do something life threatening to her but nothing ever happened. Why was Hera being so tolerant of her presence? As far as she knew not even Demeter got such treatment.

She sighed laying down on the wooden floor letting the sun's rays shine on her. She had reason to believe Zeus had something to do with Hera's tolerant behaviour toward her but that didn't help her uneasiness. She closed her eyes resting for a bit. Soon enough she fell asleep and she didn't hear the door open.

 **~o0o~**

Adiya woke up in her bed in her new home. She was tucked in but she still wore her blue sundress from yesterday. How'd she end up here? She rubbed her eyes stretching and yawning before getting out of bed. She looked out the window and saw Hera strolling through her garden. She wore a nice red dress today.

Adiya stared at her for a bit not really paying attention to her until she turned in her direction and waved. Adiya ducked out of view her heart stopping.

What was she doing? Waving? At her? Why? What did she want? Was she finally giving in to her serial killer instincts and luring her into a false sense of security so she could stab her in the back when she least suspected it? That was oddly specific, Adiya shook her head and peeked over the ledge again, small strands of hair falling in front of her eyes.

Hera sat on a bench brushing her hand over a peacock's head. She looked back toward her and gave her smile. Adiya ducked again. She was a goner. She finally did it. She made Hera snap with rage.

She began to pack her clothes in a small bag and while her mind raced with a million thoughts as to what Hera was going to do to her she screamed when she heard a knock at the door. She grabbed a nearby lamp and held it up protectively as the door opened slowly.

Hera peeked her head inside. She still held her smile but now that Adiya had a closer look she could see that it was pained, almost forced,"What's wrong, love? Have a nightmare?"

Adiya narrowed her eyes at Hera suspiciously,"I think I'm still in one."

The latter forced a laugh,"Oh you _kill_ me. Come on, love. Zeus is waiting."

She turned away from the door and Adiya could hear the goddess's footsteps travel down the hall and down the stairs. She set down the lamp and searched through a box labeled with the letters SF. She took out a small comb and tucked it into her belt and the followed the goddess into the dining room.

Sure enough Zeus was there helping himself to a hearty meal topped with ambrosia and a drink of nectar. Hera sat across from him. Her plate remained untouched but she was busy with some paperwork she had laid next to her plate. Adiya stood at the entrance awkwardly. The only other seats with food was one next to Zeus and another next to Hera.

Ah, so it was a pick your poison kind of game. Well she wasn't gonna play it. She walked into the kitchen that was next door and had breakfast there. As she ate she heard the murmur of a conversation in the dining room. She opened the door a crack and listened in.

"Have you been behaving."

"Yes, my lord."

"She didn't sit with us. Are you sure you've not said an ill word to her at all this morning?"

"When I tell you I didn't it means I didn't."

"Don't take an attitude with me, Hera. I haven't been in the best of moods with you lately."

"So I've noticed."

"Why can't you understand that all this will simply be easier if you just got to know her and learned to play well with others."

"I would play well with others if they could just stay out of my bedroom."

"Why do you think she has her own room, now."

Adiya tensed up and wandered away from the door. A little bit later Hera entered the kitchen looking less than happy. The moment she noticed her though a thin smile spread on her lips again.

"How was breakfast, child?"

Adiya just knew Hera was itching to throw an insult by the way she spat the word child out of her mouth. She simply nodded as she watched Hera give sharp orders to the servants that worked in the kitchen. Finally she turned to Adiya once more,"Would you care for a walk in the gardens, Slag?"

Adiya shrugged and nodded. If Hera tried anything she was armed. The two meandered through the temple's gardens in silence. It was a magnificent sight. There were flowers everywhere and tree in convenient spots to offer shade and rest. In the center of the garden was a white fountain. The two women stopped to rest at the fountain neither one saying a word.

After awhile she decided to break the silence,"What does slag mean?"

"You needn't know the meaning for the term, barmy."

Adiya watched her carefully. What was she saying? She looked around the gardens once more noticing all the flowers were facing toward the center. It unnerved her. Hiw did Hera get them to do that before she could ask Hera spoke first,"So has my husband called for you recently."

Adiya shook her head,"Not in awhile, no."

Hera nodded as if confirming something. She gave her another false smile,"That's quite alright, poppet. Has anyone else payed you a visit?"

"Hera, I think it'd be easier for the both of us if you would try not to fake your kindness."

Hera stayed quiet and let out a breath. She stood and walked away. Adiya called to her,"But I would like to have a normal conversation."

Hera shook her head,"No. I don't talk to muppets."

What the hell was she calling her? "Oh please, Hera. If we're gonna live together we might as well try to get along."

"Oh and I suppose we'll frolick in a field of flowers and ride off into the sunset together once we do. Listen here, you numpty. I'm not about to make amends with a pillock like you just because you feel guilty for fetching a pail of water with my husband."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

Hera merely rolled her eyes at the statement,"Figure it out. But it's a fat chance for you and I to ever have a 'civilized conversation.' Good day."

Adiya blew a small raspberry watching Hera walk away. Until she got an idea. A rather dickish and dangerous idea.

"Fine then. I guess I'll just tell Zeus you weren't in a very good mood for an afternoon stroll with me."

Hera stopped in her tracks and looked back at Adiya surprised.

"Yup, I'll just get going. Good day,"Adiya stood and started walking away from the gardens when she heard Hera growl.

"This scrubber's going to end up on a pyre very soon. Wait just one second, you little vex."

Adiya smirked and turned to face her,"Yes?"

"It would give me great displeasure if you and I went for a stroll but if it'll keep Zeus off my back then I'll tolerate it for a short while."

"Great!"

"A _very_ short while."

Adiya and Hera wandered deeper in the gardens. The two quiet for quite some time. Adiya looked at the flowers and realized they weren't ever facing the center they were facing Hera. As they strolled along they bent forward trying to reach out to her and turned in place following her the way a sunflower followed the sun.

"Lady Hera, if Zeus betrays your vows so much why don't you ever leave him?"

"I have and when I do he always finds a way to make it up to me."

"But, why? Why do you fall for him? Have you ever thought of divorce?"

Hera rolled her eyes scoffing,"I'm goddess of _marriage_ divorce isn't an option for either one of us. The closest we have to divorce is living in separate homes. Why do you care anyway? Trying to make a move for the throne, I see?"

"No! No. It's just," Adiya rubbed her neck subconsciously. "I-I-I've seen the scars he's left on you and-"

"I don't need or want your pity so you can stop right there. I agreed to walk with you not become moral support. I'm doing fine without it and I don't need it now."

"I just think we should try to know each other better so we don't have another scene like the night-"

"First off, that never would've happened if you had knocked like a civilized person. Second, if you had kept your grubby little hands to yourself I wouldn't have conked you."

"I pushed you because you threw me down a flight of stairs!"

"Like I said it wasn't on purpose. If I had wanted to kill you I would've done it long ago."

"Then why did you touch me?"

"I only wanted to rip out some your hair."

They remained silent for a bit. Hera was definitely a bitch. Adiya was definitely a nuisance. It was a wonder why as to how they kept to themselves at the moment. Finally Hera looked around the garden and her eyes landed on Adiya again.

She felt herself fill with envy. She hadn't combed her hair. She had no make up on. She still had on the dress from yesterday and she still looked as beautiful as ever. Her face flushed with anger and she was just itching to tear her apart. But she stood her ground and kept walking.

"Where street corner did Zeus find you anyway."

"I used to live in California. In the San Fernando Valley. I met him on my way to the park for a friend's birthday party."

"You had friends," the goddess rose an eyebrow

Adiya nodded,"Lots. We grew pretty distant this past year. I miss them though."

Hera examined Adiya with curiosity. She watched how she looked at all the different flowers with a somber look and she listened intently at how she talked about all the people from her past life with a kind of longing and passion. Hera finally let out a soft sigh.

She couldn't help it. She looked back to her life before she married Zeus and reminisced some long forgotten memories of old friends and a lost love. She stopped walking and looked at Adiya with a new sense of wonder.

No one had made her think back to old memories like that. No one. Adiya looked back to her with concern,"Hera? Are you okay?"

The goddess nodded and quickly regained her composure. She gave Adiya an intense stare and said,"I'm fine, love. You simply talk too much. Your voice was beginning to irk me. Anyway, you said you wanted a stroll through the gardens you got your stroll. Now I take my leave. I have work to finish."

Hera left the gardens without another word.


	6. Chapter 6

Weeks passed by and neither mortal or goddess made an attempt to contact each other again after that morning. Adiya thought it to be extremely awkward whenever Hera caught her leaving her bedroom after spending the afternoon with Zeus, and Hera found it uncomfortable every time she shared meals with Zeus and Adiya. The two seldom spoke to each other but that was hardly a problem. The real problem was the gossip.

It was remarkable to hear all the rumors spreading around even without having the fuel to start the fire. Some said Hera was biding her time, meticulously planning Adiya's downfall. Others said Adiya finally put Hera in her place. While very few said Zeus and Hera were in the midst of a divorce and Adiya and Zeus were actually engaged.

They caught on so quickly they made the front cover of _Olympus Weekly,_ a tabloid magazine that specialized in publicizing the private drama within the Olympians' lives. At reading this, Zeus finally decided it was time to put the tittle-tattle to an end. Once again he proved to Hera how much control he had over her life. He made the morning stroll she took with Adiya all those weeks ago a mandatory thing and, of course, she had to oblige.

That's how she found herself walking to her gardens to meet Adiya the next morning. She sighed, she was gonna go there _anyway_ , she wanted to check on how well her poppies were fairing. She heard from Demeter and Hestia that when mixed in a tea they could help the drinker feel at ease and make any ache go away. She was hoping this to be true. Maybe Adiya would disappear if she drank a cup. Maybe Zeus would stay faithful if she took two cups. Artemis and Aphrodite would probably move away or disappear if she took three or four. Maybe if she took ten Athena would finally shut the fuck up and Ares would get married and she would finally have legitimate grandchildren.

The thought about the poppies immediately left her mind as she found Adiya waiting for her at the fountain, reaching into the water. The sun glistened off her beige dress. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and, as always, she was barefoot. Who did this girl think she was? Snow White?

She cleared her throat in order to catch the mortal's attention and the latter sprang upright, water dripping from her closed hand.

"Leave those coins there. Unless you want me to label you as a thief, too."

 **~o0o~**

"So what's up with the accent? Is it aesthetic or were you actually born with it?" Adiya wondered. The two women had sat down at a bench to rest up a bit, they were already sweating from the morning sun's heat. Hera could already tell today was gonna be a bitch.

However.

At the mention of her accent Hera's usual frown turned into a very small smile.

"Some years ago, I wanted to go to England, but I never found the time to go and just tour around. I wanted to visit on good terms, too. So my first time with it wasn't tainted. And then, Zeus found out and as an anniversary gift we went to live in London for a year," Adiya nodded in understanding. "You caught the accent."

Hera nodded, letting out a soft sigh, and then she shook herself gently out of the memory. She looked over at Adiya,"Have you ever visited another country?"

Adiya shook her head,"What about another state?"

Again, she shook her head,"City?"

"No. I've never been outside of LA in my life. Let alone Reseda."

Hera rose her eyebrows in shock. She always seemed to forget that mortals couldn't astro travel the way gods could. She almost felt sorry for the poor girl. She looked over to the rising sun deep in thought.

"But...I have always wanted to visit Sweden. I hear it's a very nice place...is it?" She looked up at Hera hopefully.

Hera shrugged,"I...suppose. Probably a lot of IKEA stores there."

"Yeah, probably...wait. _Probably?_ You don't know?"

Hera stayed quiet,"But you're a goddess. You've been alive for years and you've never gone?"

Hera huffed,"I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was required to visit third world countries."

Adiya rolled her eyes,"Not all third world countries are as bad as you think."

"You say that because you've never gone outside of LA or Olympus; the southern hemisphere is even worst," Hera scoffed.

"You do realize _Greece_ is a third world country too, right?" Adiya rose an eyebrow.

An awkward silence followed and then Hera cleared her throat,"I believe we're done here."

Hera stood straightening the wrinkles in her dress while Adiya suppressed a smile. As Hera walked away from the young girl she suddenly turned back to her,"Would you like to visit it sometime?"

Adiya looked up at her confused,"What?"

"Would you like to visit Sweden sometime?"

Adiya stared on in shock. Hera looked her in the eye waiting for an answer. Adiya, unsure as to how to respond, nodded. Hera mimicked the gesture,"Alright." And walked away.

 **~o0o~**

The throne room was replete with cheer and music. The gods danced, clapped, and skipped to the rhythm coming from the instruments of the Muses. Apollo let loose his voice as he sang a song in homage to one of his grandchildren, some famous singer called Vicente Fernandez. Hestia didn't really know who he was, but as Apollo sang _Por Tu Maldito Amor,_ she couldn't help but fall in love with the lyrics and music. Even if she didn't have a clue as to what they meant.

She looked over at Adiya as the mortal sang her heart out,

 _"Prefiero la derrota entre mis manos_

 _Si ayer tu nombre tanto pronuncie_

 _Hoy mírame rompiéndome los labios"_

"What does that mean?" she asked her.

"Oh, it's a song about heartbreak and betrayal and-"

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I asked what the lyrics meant," she said rather impatiently.

Adiya rubbed her neck,"I'm not the best translator. Especially, with Spanish songs, but the part I just sang, translated into English, is 'I prefer defeat in my hands/Yesterday your name I pronounced so much/Today look at me breaking my lips.' "

Hestia gained a thoughtful glint, pondering over the words for a moment. She made a connection to the song with Hera's relationship with Zeus and felt herself become upset. Containing her composure she opened her mouth to respond when Hermes' gleeful voice echoed.

"Welcome gods, major and minor! We thank you all joining us here tonight on July 17, 1995! Especially considering whose birthday it is today!"

There was a low rumble of chuckles as Hestia squirmed in her seat a little.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate our very own, Queen Hera's birthday!"

There was a polite sound of applause. Now it was Adiya's turn to become upset. The past two years she noticed the lack of enthusiasm and energy in the days that honored Hera. She remembered the cheers of glee when Olympus had been celebrating the birth day of Apate, the goddess of deceit whose personality was just as hateful as the subject she personified. In fact, Apate appeared in many Zeus and Hera stories, she even praised the goddess when Hera disguised herself as an old hag and tricked Semele, Dionysus' mother, into having Zeus reveal his true form to her. Her thoughts were interrupted as Hermes resumed his speech. "Well, gods and goddesses, Zeus should be arriving with his lovely bride any moment now, remember! Stay classy and smile!"

As Herme left the stage Adiya and Hestia could hear the bitter whispers of the other gods nearest to them,"Smile? Why do I gots to smile when she ain't ever as so much as given me a kind word."

"Stay classy. She's a queen. Why can't she go buy herself some. Stuck up, bitch."

But one phrase Adiya heard that really struck a nerve came from Artemis herself,"Lovely bride? With Adiya around, that won't last long."

Adiya stood from her chair, but Hestia grabbed her by the hem of the dress and pulled her back down. Hestia sent a chilling glare in the direction of Artemis who looked down at her plate rather guiltily. Hestia then directed her gaze toward the mortal. Adiya stared at her rusty eyes. They complimented the red headband that decorated her short, black hair. Adiya looked away from those blame ridden eyes down at the Greek robes that hung loosely from the goddess.

The giant oak doors of the throne room creaked open.

Everyone's gaze flew over to the entrance where the royal couple stood. Zeus in all his glory dressed for a meeting and Hera next to him.

Any bad word of her ceased immediately as she stepped into the room with a confident stride. Her brown hair was done in a high bun with a few strands hanging underneath it like spider legs and she wore a sparkling, wine dress which flowed behind her with every step she took. She held her head up high as her golden crown gleaming elatedly. Zeus held her hand, guiding her to her seat behind the long table that was reserved for the Olympians.

It was probably a span of two minutes. But to Adiya. It felt like thirty as everyone gawked and admired the goddess. A young, redheaded woman of blue eyes and freckles cleared her throat. Adiya recognized her as Iris, the girl she would see Zeus flirt with and fail every time she passed by the temple to have a meeting with Hera. No one had payed her any mind so she spread out a pair of golden wings hidden behind her back and flapped them, the wind gust causing napkins to fly.

Hera directed her attention to Iris, but Iris' words were lost on Adiya as she kept her gaze on Hera. The room around her became a blur until Hera was the only thing in the room she could see. Her plump, red lips were in their usual scowl but somehow that frown made her seem even more beautiful. Her large, brown eyes gleamed with pride and Adiya couldn't help but sigh. A heavy weight that had gotten caught in her chest, was let loose and Adiya felt herself melt on the table. Resting her head in her hand and her elbow on the flat surface she admired the goddess from afar a small smile spreading on her own lips.

Hestia wasn't paying much attention to Iris either. She was watching Adiya. She assumed she was staring at Zeus and could feel the anger rise in her. It was quickly replaced with confusement as Zeus stood and made his way to Iris to recite his own speech venerating Hera, and Adiya's eyes didn't follow him. Realizing who had really caught her attention, Hestia gave the mortal a pitiful smile and gave back her attention to her brother.

 **~o0o~**

All night long, Hera received compliment after compliment. She had never felt more loved. Usually, she could tell the hint of sarcasm or irony in the voices of the gods she spoke with, but not one. _Not one_. Gave her any kind of trouble. She knew the goddesses she wasn't speaking to were giving her the evil eye and were talking about her while her back was turned, but for once. _For once_. _They_ were the ones filled with envy. _They_ were the ones who were jealous. And _they_ were jealous of _her_.

She didn't smile. She didn't have to. Anyone who looked her in the eye could tell they seemed a bit softer today, with a bright glint. And that was enough.

As she held up a conversation with Iris, she could see Hestia walk up to Apollo out the corner of her eye. She whispered something in his ear and he nodded in response. As Hestia walked away, he relayed what he had just been told to the muses and they nodded as well.

The muses played their instruments and Euterpe and Apollo began to sing together,

 _"Simasia den mou dineis_

 _kai trelainesai_

 _paristaneis oti pineis_

 _alla fainesai."_

Hera looked over at Hestia who was currently speaking to Adiya. Why _this_ song? Why would _Hestia_ want to listen to this song? She excused herself from her conversation with Iris and inched closer.

 _"Esy gia mena tha patheis erota_

 _ki ego gia sena tha kindynepso._

 _Me ta vremena kai t' asiderota_

 _tis aliteias tha vgainoume exo."_

"That line means: 'You will fall for me/and I'll be in danger for you./With the wet and rough-dry clothes/of the vagabonds we'll be getting out.' " Hestia explained.

Adiya nodded,"What about that verse?"

" 'You pay no attention to me/and you talk/continuously to the person next to me,/you're getting exposed.' "

"What about-"

"Does there seem to be a problem here, sister?" Hera intervened. Hestia looked back at Hera with a very gentle shake of the head,"No, sister. None at all. I was simply translating the lyrics of this song to Adiya. She still hasn't learned our mother tongue despite living with us for at least two years."

"Is that so. We should send her to Athena, fates know she'll educate her. Especially if she goes on another one of her rants. She'll be forced to learn the language."

Adiya gave a slight blush,"I would learn. But all the books are in Greek and no one has the time to take me to the mortal world so I can take classes there."

"Why not ask me, child? You know I would've taken you away in a heart break," Hera responded.

Adiya gave Hera a small, amused smile,"I didn't want to bother you."

Hera nodded,"How considerate. Well, let's go now."

"Hera," Adiya chuckled.

"No, I'm serious. I've been meaning to show you something I found down there, anyway. It'll only take a minute."

Adiya gave Hera a suspicious gaze. Hera sighed and held up her hand as if taking an oath,"I swear on the River Styx that no harm will come to you if you were to accompany me to the mortal world."

There's was a muffled rumble of thunder outside which signaled the legitimacy of the promise, and with that, Adiya and Hera walked out of the throne room together.

 _ **~o0o~**_

 _ **I am very sorry for the long update. I had such a bad case of writer's block and when I did write something the two main characters sounded like completely different people. You all also have to remember that I have school to look after, doesn't help much that my phone was taken away so I can't exactly work on the chapter if I can't access the website itself. But I still would like to thank everyone who has stuck with me so far and supported me and encouraged me to write this chapter.**_

 _ **The two songs I have referenced in this chapter are called**_ _ **Por Tu Maldito Amor**_ _ **and**_ _ **Tha Patheis Erota**_ _ **by Vicente Fernandez and Haris Alexiou, respectively. I recommend you go listen to them!**_

 _ **~LionCub 101**_


	7. Chapter 7

Hera led Adiya down the steps of the throne room. A safe distance away she held out her arm for her to take.

"I recommend you close your eyes. It's not a very fun experience when you're mortal," she said.

Adiya raised a brow,"How would you know?"

"Well, long story short. A goddess turns mortal when she's pregnant. She remains mortal for three months after giving birth. She keeps her powers; though, it is recommended they not be used."

"Why do they turn mortal?" this was the first time Adiya had ever heard of something like this since she stepped onto the mountain.

"The power of a god is potentially harmful to baby gods, or godlings. It's like they're being hit with a dose of radioactivity. Our bodies know that. And so, in a way, it 'turns off' all the features that define us as gods."

"Why do you still have powers then if they harm the baby?"

"The powers are more of a defense mechanism than anything when you're with child. Kind of like when an animal becomes more aggressive with strangers when it has children."

Adiya nodded, trying to understand. She took Hera's arm and looked up at her,"Does that mean Aphrodite doesn't know what it's like to be immortal?"

Hera let out a one syllable laugh, which made Adiya feel uncomfortable, and the two disappeared.

It was like being sucked into a vacuum with the insides of a tornado. They lurched and spun and jumped as wind bit at their faces making their hair fly. Finally, they felt the ground again.

Adiya supported herself on Hera, her face turning green. She gagged and stumbled over to a nearby trash can and hurled up the dinner she had that evening.

Hera watched on in amusement. She snickered at the poor girl's predicament. Finally, Adiya turned toward her, wiping her mouth.

"I forgot to close my eyes."

"So I saw. You poor vex, hope this doesn't ruin our evening together."

Adiya finally took in her surroundings. A tall building stood proudly in front of her and surrounding them was a body of water. Across the water she could see more land and more buildings. Obviously, she didn't recognize the place, but she had an idea as to where Hera had brought her,"Where are we?"

Hera admired one of the two statues that had been placed in front of the building near the water,"Stockholm City Hall."

Adiya looked up at the statue of the naked man. He looked out to the horizon to the other side of the river bank, hand held up as if saying hello or calling up to the heavens, and in the other he held grapes. He had what seemed to be a powdered wig on his head which didn't suit him at all. Her fingers traced his knee as her hand ran down the patina that raced down his copper body.

Hera chuckled, Adiya turned to see what made her make such a sound, but Hera had already turned away from the two as she continued walking around the lawn. Adiya ran after her.

The two didn't speak much the entire trip. They simply walked around Sweden admiring the new sights and giggling at the failed attempts men made to flirt with them. At some point Hera was confronted by a young woman. She seemed to recognize Hera and shouted an array of words that sounded very much like insults, but Hera didn't understand a word she had said. Frankly, she didn't want to bother. For one, this was supposed to be a nice trip without drama. Second, if she translated what this mortal was calling her, she knew it would not end as nicely as she wanted her birthday to end. Not to mention that she had no idea who this woman was.

Adiya, however, understood every word uttered by the stranger.

But Hera kept walking. Adiya followed behind, looking back at the woman with defensive eyes, and they were left alone once again.

They saw the Stockholm palace. Adiya was amazed, she admired the palace as it basked in golden light as if it were a present from the gods. Hera curled her lip at it, thinking it to be rather unimpressive. She stayed quiet for Adiya's sake seeing her mull over the square buildings.

With a bit of divine intervention, they snuck into the Vasa Museum and took a tour inside the ship. Many times Adiya caught Hera staring nostalgically at many different parts of the ship.

"What kind of ship was this again?" Adiya asked as she inspected a bronze cannon that peeked out a small square hole meant to be a window.

Hera gushed as she ran a hand against the ship's wall,"She was a fantastic warship built in 1628. From the 17th century. Unfortunately, she never left her harbor. She sank before she could even reach the sea."

"What sank it?"

"A gust of wind. She was too heavy in the upper part of her hull, she would've been fine if it hadn't been for that breeze. But in the end she foundered. Poor thing, would've been the finest one out there. Probably the fastest. What I wouldn't give to have seen her sailing out on the horizon in action."

Adiya had no idea what Hera had just told her, but seeing how much enthusiasm Hera had on the subject she nodded in understanding. Then it struck her. How did Hera know so much about The Vasa and the proper terminology associated with ships?

"How do you know so much about this kind of stuff? Isn't Poseidon the one that's supposed to know about boats, and Ares? If this was a warship, shouldn't he be the one spewing facts about this place?" She asked.

Hera took on a misty look her in eye. Adiya recognized it, she remembered seeing that same gaze when she and Hera had their first stroll together. She had been telling Hera about Estefan, her best friend since Kindergarten, they lost touch after she moved away to Olympus. She omitted telling anything about her crush on him, but she could tell Hera wasn't listening. It seemed Hera was daydreaming, but when they rounded a corner in the garden she could see Hera's eyes glistened with trapped tears.

She saw those same eyes on that ship.

"I, er, had a lot of time on my hands during that century."

Adiya made her way to her. Before she completely closed the gap between the two the floorboards underneath her creaked. The sound of wood breaking echoed and she felt herself fall; something scraping her leg as she went.

Hera caught her by the arm and pulled her up,"Oh dear. I forgot that the ship is in decay."

Adiya turned toward Hera in a sense of outrage,"The ship is in what!?"

Going through another trip down the vacuum they landed a little bit a ways from the museum. Hera checked on Adiya's leg, which was bleeding in a way that worried Hera. She bit her lip at the thought of Zeus finding out. She had to stop the healing before they could get back to Olympus.

"Stay still," she ordered.

Adiya slapped Hera's hand away,"The ship is in what!?"

Hera sighed,"I forgot, okay? I was so excited to see it I forgot to take precautions. Let me fix up your leg and we can go back home."

Adiya glared on at Hera who proceeded to bandage her leg with some gauze and alcohol she had summoned. She looked away at the ship and then the rest of Sweden. She didn't want to leave just yet.

After all, how many times do you get to go to Sweden?

"No. I'll stay quiet about this. I want to continue the tour." She told Hera.

Hera looked up at the girl. The moon shone brightly behind the mortal, leaving her with an angelic glow. Hera felt something nag at her; her chest hurt and her breathing hitched, stopping in her throat. She quickly looked away back at Adiya's leg.

She swallowed the lump that had appeared there. For a moment, her eyes began wandering up her leg to her skirt, before she could see anything underneath Hera hissed. She closed her eyes shaking herself out of the stupor and continued tending to Adiya's leg.

When she finished the two women continued their stroll. They visited other museums, Gotland (which was where they got to know about Visby), and the Uppsala church. They visited all the Ikea stores, counting a total of twenty, and they ended their night on top of a building in Östersund.

They overlooked the city as the morning rays blanketed the orange roofs of the buildings in a warm light.

Hera admired the various shades of red, orange, and yellow that glazed along the sky as night turned into day.

Adiya sighed next to her, Hera looked at her.

She was radiant.

Her tawny skin glowed in the sun's rays. Her blue eyes were ablaze with life and her golden, chocolatey hair framed her face so nicely. Hera's eyes wandered down her body. A nice white, flowery dress decorated her body outlining her hips.

Hera tilted her head at Adiya.

She could almost imagine her with black hair, silvery eyes, and pale skin. She had the same facial structure. The same body frame. Just a change of color schemes and Adiya could look just like her.

Hera looked up at the setting moon and nodded, yeah. Just like her.

Maybe he could be apart of this story too.

Adiya noticed Hera's nostalgic gaze toward the moon and looked up at it as well. After a bit of silence she asked,"Hera, did you ever love someone that wasn't Zeus?"

The goddess looked back down toward the mortal. She held an intense, defensive gaze but slowly. They began to break away.

She looked back toward the rising sun. Her eyes becoming gloomier with every inch it rose.

"I'm sorry. That was impertinent of me to ask. I-"

"I was engaged to someone else before I became Zeus' bride."

Adiya looked over at Hera, surprised at hearing a response.

"E-engaged? To who? Why? What happened? That is-if you don't mind me asking."

Hera sighed, she looked over the building's edge,"He was...an immortal. Handsome, intelligent, gentle, and oh so kind. He gave me a gift everyday. Sometimes it would be something small, like a flower or a poem. Other times he'd bring jewelery and clothes. He was... fantastic."

Adiya examined Hera. Her lip quivered and her voice would break. She looked down and away from her. She was afraid of asking the wrong thing, so she played it safe,"When did you two get engaged? How did he ask?"

Hera smiled lightly,"I was thirteen when we got engaged. It was a different time. It was normal for girls to get married at such a young age. In fact, you were considered an adult by the time you reached seven. Besides. Zeus had already been married six times prior it was refreshing to see someone else take a shot at it. Anyway, he had asked me to marry him when we celebrated my birthday. That was my gift and I accepted it gladly."

"How old was the dude who asked you?" Adiya figured, if Hera wouldn't mention this man's name she shouldn't ask about it. But she wanted to know who it was, if she asked the right questions she could figure out who it was without having to ask for the name.

"Same age Poseidon was, 16." Hera said in a shaky whisper.

Adiya narrowed her eyes, Hera was dangerously close to crying, but no tears fell. She looked up at the sky to see if it would begin to rain soon, but there wasn't even a cloud.

It couldn't be Poseidon, but then, how did she know so much about ships? Funny coincidence for him to be the same age as Poseidon...but it couldn't be. Could it?

She heard the sound of a lighter and looked back at Hera. She had started smoking.

The girl sighed as she continued watching the goddess take short puffs of breath every time she took a drag from her cigarette.

They spent the rest of that morning in silence, watching the sun rise.


	8. Chapter 8

"Have a good night, Hera."

"Good night, you little vex."

Hera watched as the mortal ducked into her bedroom for the day. Hera smiled. What a nice birthday. Probably the nicest one. She turned away from the second floor and went back to the first. Adiya made nice company when Zeus wasn't involved. If it weren't for him, they could be friends.

Hera opened a packet of chamomile tea while her mind wandered around within her head.

Adiya was perfect. Kind, easy to get along with when she wasn't shagging Zeus, beautiful. She had all the perfect aspects of a woman. It wasn't too hard to see what it was Zeus saw in her.

She continued to relay her night. Sweden had been wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. She hadn't had such a peaceful, fight free birthday in decades and it was refreshing to see a change in pattern.

She sipped her tea quietly immersed in her thoughts. She was oblivious to the world around her. A pack of geese could've broken into her home and she wouldn't have noticed. So of course she didn't hear the footsteps coming down the stairs and was startled at the touch of a hand on her shoulder. Despite this she didn't show much fear. She barely even flinched, the only gesture she made which acknowledged the hand's presence was a slight turn of the head. Her eyes met Zeus' own. He stared back at her gently,"You're not coming to bed, my wife?"

She tilted her head at him narrowing her eyes. Her eyebrows furrowed together. She analyzed his gestures and words carefully. He had a tenderness in his eyes that she had only ever seen Adiya receive. At this she was immediately on guard. He wanted something. What did he want?

"In a moment, I wanted something to drink."

"Might I join you?"

She rose an eyebrow her lip twitching,"Uh, er, of course. Just add a tea bag to some hot water and let it sit for three minutes."

He didn't bother. He snapped his fingers and the tea was already made.

"The point of tea is to relax you. It's not very effective if you use magic."

Zeus chuckled and brought the cup to his lips. Hera stared on curiously, he had never taken the time to just drink with her before. What was it he wanted? Did he actually just want to bond? He gagged a moment later and spat out the tea,"That's disgusting!"

Hera suppressed a laugh,"That's because you're supposed to add sugar."

She dipped a spoon into a jar of sugar and dropped it into her cup, mixing it well with the water. Zeus huffed and waited for Hera to finish so he could add the truckload he wanted.

Eventually they reached the moment where they just stood in silence together, sipping tea. It wasn't a tense or uncomfortable silence. It was kind of romantic actually. He shifted a bit so his hand rested on hers gently and she smiled softly. This was all she ever wanted. Quiet tender moments together. She never thought big, flashy dates or sex showed true love. She always thought moments like these, the small ones, were the true test. Just enjoying each other's company. No conversation. Just being with each other.

Zeus brushed a soft gaze at his wife and looked away. Hera blushed, she had seen it out the corner of her eye. That's when she realized the catch. She knew what he wanted. He craved something he hadn't put on in awhile. He was trying to lure her in. Hera set down her cup upset. To think she thought he only wanted to spend time with his wife. That perhaps he was finally changing his ways. Turns out he needed a way to rub off his boner.

"Adiya's upstairs. She's probably asleep by now, so you either rape her in her sleep or wait until the morning," she said bitterly.

Zeus set his cup down, too. He squinted his eyes at her and scowled,"Excuse me? Did you think I was trying to seduce you?"

"I know you are, Zeus. You're always trying new ways, new tactics to get me on my back. It's not going to work this time. If you're really desperate there's some lubricant in one of the guest rooms. Go and make yourself handsome."

Zeus stared at her registering her words. Hera hoped he didn't understand what she was trying to say. If her intuition really was wrong. Her telling him to go fuck himself would only make things worst. Thankfully, he changed the subject.

"So, how was the trip?" He asked tensely.

"Interesting. Not as terrible as it could've been. Went somewhere new. Made new memories." _Reminisced old ones,_ she thought.

Zeus picked up the cup and brought it to his lips, contemplating her words,"Good. Very good. So the two of you played nice."

Hera didn't respond. She simply sipped her tea and changed the subject again,"Were you waiting for me?"

He nodded.

"Why?"

He shrugged.

"Zeus, there's got to be a reason. You never bothered checking on me before."

"There's a first for everything."

"Not for you."

"For everyone."

"Except you. Zeus, you barely even sleep in the same bed as me half the time. Are you really surprised that I'm questioning your morality at the moment?"

He stayed quiet for a long while. At first she thought she had rendered him speechless, then she realized he was staring at her cleavage. She growled and began to storm away when Zeus caught her wrist,"Sorry. I- Hera, why do you care so much. I'm showing concern for you and you push it away with stupid questions and ridiculous assumptions."

"Because you filled my life with half assed reasons and undeveloped plans! Zeus, I've been your wife for more than a millenia and you've never even bothered leaving me a message so I at least know where you ran off to this time. So I at least know nothing bad has happened to you and you're safe in the arms of another woman. If you really did care this wouldn't be the first time you'd wait at home for me."

"It's not the first time, Hera. You see what you want to see. There have been nights where _you_ don't come home. Where are you then? I spend entire nights worrying about whether my wife finally had enough and ran off on her own or with someone else or if she'd gotten into trouble, and the next morning you walk into the throne room like you simply went for a stroll. Where are _you_? Where do you go? Who are you with? What are you doing? Do you do this when _I'm_ not here? Why do you leave?"

Hera stayed quiet. She had an answer for all his questions but none he could really understand. She sighed,"I can assure you that when I'm not here I'm not with another man."

"What abou-"

"Or woman. Zeus, it was my birthday, the little vex had never been anywhere but The Valley. I pitied her and I took her to Sweden. That's where I've been all night. That's who I was with. Not a lover of mine but a mistress of yours."

Zeus avoided making eye contact. Hera left the kitchen. She made her way into her garden and sat at the fountain. She spent her morning there, looking at the sun wishing she could follow it into eternity.


	9. Chapter 9

Hera had left to Russia again. She walked through the crowds deep in thought.

That's what she gets for finally pressing the little slut.

Hera had been humiliated. She had given the little vex what she rightfully deserved. Who was she to push _her_ around? And so Hera returned the favor. She wasn't about it to take such disrespect from a lowly mortal.

Then word reached Zeus.

Everything went downhill from there.

Hera held her sweater tighter, its hoodie covering her face. It was January 12, 2001. It was -3°C (Or 26°F) and she had overestimated how much she could withstand the cold.

She rubbed her nose on her sleeve and sniffed, a new stream of ichor lined the part where she had wiped it. She never realized how much her family hated her until yesterday when Zeus beat her in front of the council. They didn't interfere. They simply stared on. She wasn't sure whether it was out of shock or satisfaction but it hurt all the same.

Eventually, her stroll led her to the icy waters Russia had to offer. She sat at the shoreline and looked at her reflection. She didn't recognize herself. Her left eye was black and blue; she looked like she had fallen down a hill of trees due to the marks left on her face, and her lip was swollen and bloody. She wasn't something you'd imagine the queen of the gods to look like.

Sometimes she was just too prideful.

"I hate Christmas," she said.

She and Adiya had been having another morning stroll. They were usually seen around each other, and their wrangles had become so rare it was hard to believe that they could just barely tolerate the other's presence.

They sauntered throughout the garden, talking about mortal politics.

Hera never understood why the president of the United States didn't just turn its republic into a monarchy, and Adiya had been explaining why.

"You see, there was a time, when the nation had been first established, that the idea was suggested but George Washington rejected it. Besides, if the US were to do that we'd have to dismantle the Constitution. If we do this then the United States ceases to exist by definition."

Hera thought about it. It was sort of like the Greek Pantheon. She remembered once that Zeus had considered to make the polytheistic pantheon into a monotheistic one. Many of the gods had begun to fade, including Helios and Selene, the titans of the sun and moon. They had handed the reigns over to Apollo and Artemis before they disappeared. When Athena began to fade Zeus turned back on his decision and stopped any further damage to the pantheon. If the US did the same, discarding its Congress, the US would fall. After all, it was a powerful country with equally powerful influence.

Hera nodded understanding,"Why can't anyone be president then if monarchy isn't involved?"

"You have to be at least 35 years of age and a legal citizen. Besides, most of the politicians elected have usually been well educated and rich."

Hera couldn't agree. She looked back remembering the different presidents that had taken office. Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses Grant, and Harry Truman we're worth less than $1 million dollars, making them the poorest presidents to grace the United States. George Washington didn't go to college, neither did Abraham Lincoln, or Harry Truman. She remembered the recent US election. George Bush had won, he was okay? According to Athena, he wasn't a straight A student. More like a C student. She didn't know what that meant, but Athena found it distasteful so it probably wasn't too good. Then again, she found half everything in the 21st century distasteful so it probably didn't mean anything. But, what about women? She'd heard of at least eight women who had tried to run, one of them being a child of Zeus, but lost. Maybe bad luck? She was so caught up in her thoughts she forgot to make the usual turn and led Adiya to a part of the garden she had never allowed her to see.

Adiya noticed this. She was beginning to turn them away, but before they could the sound of a waterfall caught her attention. She couldn't help herself, curiosity had gotten the best of her. She had looked up at Hera and noticed the lost gaze she held, and took advantage walking ahead of her. Too late the goddess realized where they were and reached out to grab the mortal but she had just made herself out of reach. Adiya made it to the center of this forbidden garden and took in her surroundings. It looked nothing like the first part of the garden. Unlike the first part here it was a place grown wild with brambles, weeds and huge nettles everywhere, and tangles of bindweed clinging to the tree trunks. The still blossoming flowers hung from branches and vines, covering the once clear dirt path. Two overgrown willow trees swayed and rustled with the tall grass in the light, winter breeze as if mortified by the withered branches that dangled alongside their trunks. In the center of it all was a plunge pool where the waterfall that had originally caught the mortal's attention emptied into. The scene held a kind of heavenly light as if a new world had just opened up to the two women.

Adiya looked back at Hera. Her eyes twinkling with delight, "Where are we?"

Hera brushed a hand on one of the trees which shuddered in response and hung over her as if shielding her from danger. She gingerly walked around the old wooden swing hanging from the branches, "We're still in my garden."

"But- this isn't anything like-"

"That's because I closed this part off. I abandoned it," Hera began to turn away from the garden.

"But, look at it. It's still lively. It's growing. Hera, why would you abandon such a beautiful-"

"That's enough, you little vex," Hera hissed. "I don't need to explain my motives to you. Let's go."

Adiya ignored her order. She walked toward the waterfall and Hera growled storming after her. Adiya saw her coming, but she needed to see the garden. All of it. She waded into the pool, hoping to get away.

"Listen here, girl. Disobey one more time and there will be consequences. Let's. Go."

Adiya turned away from the goddess and made her way into the waterfall, she was expecting to be greeted by a wall and instead found herself walking into a large bedchamber. There was a dusty old bed draped elegantly with a canopy. There were armchairs strewn about and a chest of drawers stood shyly in a corner of the room. A wardrobe hid behind the bed against the wall. Like the bed everything in the chamber was coated in dust and cobwebs. There's was a musty smell, almost humid. Adiya felt lightheaded. She felt like she walked in on something she shouldn't have. She could hear Hera calling her. The sky thundered but she _had_ to see more.

Adiya had walked over to the wardrobe and opened it. Inside were yellowing togas and worn out clothes. Finally she pulled out something that caught her attention, an old wedding dress. Flowers lined its hem and a delicate sun outlined the flowers. The veil was made of white cherry blossoms. It was soft, like rose petals and it looked brand new with few signs of old age.

"You little fucker, how dare you-"

"What is this place, Hera?" Adiya turned toward the goddess as if offended for not being a part of an inside joke.

Hera looked at her with hellish eyes,"It is none of your concern."

"Hera, we've lived together for six years. You know I will find out sooner or later from someone else, might as well be from your own mouth."

Hera huffed. This bitch was _ordering_ her? Exactly what made this _mortal_ believe that she could step all over a _goddess. The queen of the gods._

"Six years we've shared the same roof. You know damn well you're not allowed to talk to me in such a way, _whore_."

Adiya's eyes flashed at the mention of the name,"Hera, I will ask Zeus."

Hera stopped talking. She stared at Adiya in surprise. She had been getting ballsy with Hera lately. This didn't sit too well with her obviously but the goddess found herself looking around the chamber. If Zeus found out this was _still_ here...she turned back to the mortal and looked her in the eye. She wasn't about to bend over and let Adiya screw her. Six years and this girl was beginning to think that they were _equal_ to each other.

Hera eyed the girl curiously. She looked back to the rickety, old bed an idea forming in her mind.

"Hera, tell me-"

"Tell me about your family. Your parents." This time it was Adiya's turn to be shocked. Hera smirked,"If you don't tell. I won't."

Adiya looked around the room. Anywhere that wasn't Hera. She contemplated it. Was it worth it? Her parents weren't something she was proud of. Her father was okay, but her mother was just another creature entirely. Gods...she hated her mother. She looked up at Hera's smug face and she a sense of rage boil inside her that shown in her eyes. She shoved the dress into Hera's arms and walked off. Hera smiled after her. She didn't know everything about Adiya's past.

But she knew enough.

Of course, however, Adoya was found crying in her bedroom that night. Apparently Hera had resurfaced some old memories that had been suppressed. Zeus was notified that Hera had stepped on a nerve and he beat the ever living shit out of her.

Hera rubbed her bloody nose on her stained sleeve again. Why was it different when Adiya's the one with a stuck nerve. Adiya always had the same effect on her. She was doing that very thing right now.

Hera continued gazing into the water remembering who she was. She wasn't weak then. No. She was feared. She was powerful. More than she could ever want. Hermes and Poseidon had followed her lead, but she was the most powerful of the three.

The salty sea spray in her face. The wind in her ears. The motion of the boat. The plundering. The raves. The fights. The battles. Her crew. Her ship. Her treasure. Her freedom. Damn, she missed those days.

She was called a sea demon. A siren and she loved it. She was the most wanted woman in the sea and on land. The English Empire wanted her head. She was raucous and vicious. That Hera wouldn't have taken any of Adiya's or Zeus' shit. She would've beat Zeus into his own grave and ripped the little whore's hair a long time ago.

She wasn't afraid of anything.

Then she started thinking of who she was before those sea sailing days. She was a young girl. About 14 and pregnant with her first children. Twins. She had lost the love of her life because Zeus decided to take her for himself a week before her wedding. But this didn't hold her back. She was on the line of duty. A spy on a rescue mission.

They hadn't seen Hestia for seven years. She had sacrificed herself so they'd make it out in time with Zeus. It was about time they'd be reunited again. She listened in on battle plans and gained trust from the titans. She'd give Helios the information and he'd pass it on to Zeus.

When the day came, Helios and Selene caused an eclipse. The signal to attack Mount Orthys with everything they had and get Hestia back once and for all.

That Hera was impetuous but brave. Zeus had taken her freedom but not her spirit. She would've had a good insult or two to throw at Adiya. Taken the beating and then spit in Zeus' face just to challenge him.

Then she went farther back. A few months. Not too far. Selene was damn beautiful and her best friend. What angered Hera was just how much Adiya resembled Selene. They were both kind and promiscuous. And Hera had to share the love of her life with both women. She had to share Zeus with and Adiya, and she had to share Helios with his sister.

Helios loved Selene more than anything. He would've died for her. And when Hera came into the picture he finally had two things worth fighting for.

Hera looked up at the sky towards the glimmering sun. He was humble. Honest. His hair resembling the sun's golden fire and his eyes as blue as the sky he rode upon. She hugged her knees bringing them close to her chest.

Helios wasn't arrogant. He never held her as a price and he was so patient. He gave her life. He showed Hera that life outside her father's stomach had meaning to it.

That Hera was optimistic. From the moment she met Helios when she was eight to the moment she became pregnant with Eris and Ares, nothing could weigh her down. She'd see Adiya as an obstacle she could push through and tough her way through the beatings. She'd be able to say tomorrow is a new day without the feeling of wanting to die.

She wasn't Hera anymore. She was no longer youthful, optimistic Hera. Or just, brave Hera. She wasn't the feared pirate of the seven seas anymore.

She was just Hera.

She was a simple wife that was being pushed into second place by a sex slave.

Hera held back her tears. She wasn't going to cry. If she cried that'd mean that they won. She wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of winning.

She would never give them that satisfaction no matter how beat up she was.


	10. Chapter 10

Hestia had gone looking for Hera after news of Zeus' beating reached her. She scoured the mountain in search of her sister. Everywhere she went she heard talk of what Zeus had done to Hera. But not why. When she asked around, looking for both the cause of her beating and her current whereabouts she couldn't get a straight answer. The stories were garbled, nothing was consistent.

She would ask Apollo first, as god of truth he wouldn't be able to lie to her about the current situation. And she wanted answers.

When she finally found him she immediately regretted it.

He was with Hermes. They had been going for a stroll in the park together, wading through the newly fallen snow. Hermes clung to Apollo's elbow drastically shorter than the latter, his height as tall as Apollo's shoulders. The two smiled at each other, eyes twinkling, and gave the other a small peck on the lips. They went to one of the porches in the park to overlook a mortal city. She was almost embarrassed to ask while the two gods were together. They had a tendency to be bit too intimate while others were around, and she was afraid they'd drop their boxers right in front of her while asking about her sister. But at least she'd get an answer. So she would suck up her virgin pride and ask the promiscuous couple. She had to find her sister. She needed to make sure Hera was okay.

She asked the both of them. What a disappointment. They _both_ didn't know why it had happened or where the queen had gone, however, Hermes witnessed the beating and both had theories.

They proceeded to ask whether it was true Adiya and Hera had been sleeping together behind Zeus' back. According to Hermes, he caught them together in the kitchen throne room. Where he decided to punish Hera in a way she would find humiliating.

"That's an interesting thought, but I would like to know why you would think of something so-so-"

"Ludicrous?" Apollo suggested.

"Yes, thank you. Why would you come up with something so ludicrously impossible?"

Hermes shrugged, he looked up at Apollo for back up, the tip of his impish ears turning red with embarrassment. When he looked back at Hestia his freckles were turning orange. He cleared his throat, fixed his coat and answered,"Zeus had dragged Hera out of the throne room. When he started beating her. Adiya was hanging out near the kitchen door in shock. When Hera left Adiya had told Zeus it wasn't Hera's fault. It was her own, that she was the one that had started _something_."

Hestia huffed, she should've guessed Adiya had something to do with it. The moment she found Hera and knew she was fine, she would give the little hooker a piece of her mind.

She thanked the couple and walked off looking for anyone else to interrogate. Eventually she found Artemis. Artemis wasn't the ideal goddess to speak with when it came to small conversations about Hera, but at this point Hestia wasn't gonna take any shit from her. She went up to the goddess who had been clearing the snow off her driveway.

She was a pale goddess with a long black braid that would sweep over her shoulder from time to time. She wore puffy, silver clothes to protect her against the cold and her boots would crush the ice underneath them. She didn't have her bow or quiver with her, so she seemed smaller, not as large as Artemis usually liked to make herself in order to look intimidating. She daresay, she even looked more feminine without her bow. But her bow was also a defining feature, it gave her a sort of aura that made her even more attractive, it was a shame not to see it strapped on. When Hestia called her, the goddess turned her head sharply like a deer caught in headlights. Her eyes were cold with the color of molten lead. Like her brother, she held freckles that were almost invisible to the eye. Hestia knew that to be a recurring trait in children of Zeus. She never remembered why that was. She didn't remember whether Zeus held freckles on his face or not, she always thought Hermes had freckles because Maia had them. Then again, no one ever really met his mother, except Zeus and Hera. The two women were good friends if she remembered correctly, and then something happened causing Maia to leave Hermes with the king and queen and he was raised alongside his stepsisters Angelos and Zeus give him those spots or was it Maia? She hadn't had a chance to be up close and personal in years with her brother. Come to think of it, Hebe had freckles too. Hebe resembled Hera in every way possible, but Hera didn't have freckles, did she? In fact, she couldn't remember if anyone of her siblings had freckles. She rarely talked to them. That's when Hestia came to ask herself if _she_ had any. She never bothered looking in the mirror too long, she didn't need to and so she never really payed mind to herself superficially.

Hestia touched her cheeks and nose subconsciously as she tried to get back to the task at hand. This didn't have _anything_ to do with what she was originally doing. She brought her attention back to Artemis.

"M'lady, by any chance do you pertain any knowledge as to where our queen and lady has gone to?" She asked politely.

Artemis sniffed, looked around her front yard, rubbed her nose, then back at Hestia,"I don't see her." She went back to clearing her driveway. Hestia was not about to be ignored again, not this time. "Lady Artemis, it is imperative for me to find Queen Hera. Do you have any idea where she's gone or what might've happened to her?"

Artemis shrugged again,"Don't really care."

She turned her back to Hestia. Hestia scowled. Disrespectful little,"Bitch." She flipped the goddess over so the two stared eye to eye. Artemis had never seen Hestia mad. No one had ever seen her mad. Or even cuss for that matter. When Hestia turned her, for a moment, Artemis thought she was ten years old once again. She had been anticipating Hera's wrath to meet her with a mighty blow from the queen's hand. Instead she was greeted with Hestia's gentle smile and a fire in her usually kind, rusty eyes.

"Listen here, brat. My sister is in trouble, and I will not take such disrespect from your or anyone of you so called 'major gods.' Now you will answer me with respect, or so help me you will be the first to know what my wrath and fire feels like."

Artemis avoided looking into her eyes, she was definitely ten years old again. She gave quick, quiet nod. Hestia let go of her shoulders and the young goddess sighed lightly,"She's not on Olympus. I know that much."

"Why did your father hit her,"she asked tersely.

Artemis shrugged,"I didn't go into the throne room until after he beat her. She ran past me and then vanished. I don't where to, but if she were on Olympus she would've had a crowd taunting her from all sides. I probably would've been among them."

Hestia narrowed her eyes at the goddess. Artemis looked at the ground and very quietly added,"You should ask Demeter. I hear she was there for the whole event."

Hestia let off a soft sigh. She cupped Artemis cheek gently and thanked her. She astro traveled to Demeter's garden. It was the second largest garden on Olympus. It was in competition against Hera's in forms of beauty and liveliness. While Hera's held a more regal appearance Demeter had a more rustic approach to her landscape. It was simple. And Hestia like it.

But as she appeared inside the garden she was taken aback by how barren it looked. That's when she remembered that it was winter and Persephone wasn't here to breathe life into her mother. She looked around at all the wilted and frost bitten plants and felt a sort of sadness come over her. Did Hades and Persephone know? Did they care?

Hestia stepped closer to the small temple that stood at the edge of the garden. The closer she got the deader everything seemed. Finally, she found an old hag sitting on a bench underneath an old sycamore tree. She had fossilized, white hair and watery, nebulous, eyes. Her face was weather worn, with an etched on frown that never seemed to go away. Her hands and fingers rheumatic. Her usually bright, olive clothes now dusty and tattered. Her skin was wrinkled, covered in sunspots.

She knelt in front of her younger sister gingerly and held her hand, "Poor thing."

She kissed her hand and rubbed it with her thumb trying to revive some movement within the poor creature,"Demi. It's me, Hestia. You're sister."

No response.

"Demi please, I know you and I haven't spoken but that will change. I need your help. I need you to tell me why Hera was punished. Where she went. Demeter please answer me." She begged.

The more she seemed to talk the more distant Demeter seemed to become. Hestia looked at the snow covered floor in shame. She shouldn't have let her siblings grow so far apart. It was her fault Hera was in fates knew where and Demeter a train wreck. Her brothers hated each other and one of them was a sociopath. Hestia rested her forehead on Demeter's knobbly knee.

"We're an ironic bunch, don't you think, Demi? A goddess of marriage with a cheating, beating husband. A goddess of fertility and agriculture with a barren garden. And a goddess of home without a family."

She sat on the bench next to Demeter and held her hand, resting her head on her shoulder,"I'm sorry. I'm supposed to keep you safe and together. I've failed. There is no family here on Olympus that's whole and happy. If that's true, then this mountain isn't a home. It's a place where a myriad of heartless, soulless creatures dwell and feast on one another's happiness."

Hestia looked up at her sister, still staring ahead. The image becoming blurry. Hestia sniffed,"Demi? Are you there?"

She called.

"Hera, where have you gone?"

She called.

"Hades, stop running. There's no room."

She called.

"Poseidon, follow my voice."

She called.

"Who's Zeus?"

She called.

No one answered.

In the throne room, was a fire pit that stood in the room's center. Hestia's eternal fire roared brightly when she tended to it. That day, it's bright flames flickered away and disappeared leaving no trace of ash or heat behind.


	11. Chapter 11

Adiya stayed in the throne room despite it clearing after Hera disappeared. Ichor recolored the marble floor where Hera had been. There was a sinking feeling in Adiya's chest as she continued to look at the golden liquid.

This was her fault.

Hera had only stirred up some old memories Adiya would've rather forgotten, she tried to explain to Zeus but he wouldn't listen. He was livid with rage. She wouldn't let her have the time to explain. When Zeus found Adiya crying in her bedroom Adiya had never been planning on ratting Hera out. She was going to defend the queen's actions. The moment she said her name though, Zeus put it together. Hera did something. He didn't know what but she had to pay the consequences.

The mortal girl rested her back against the wall tiredly, she slumped down it her eyes never leaving the stains. She wished she had never met Zeus that day in the park, she couldn't leave him either though. It was too late for that. Hera would get the blame.

And she was tired of Hera being the scapegoat for everything that happened to her.

As she contemplated her choices she started to feel cold. She rubbed her shoulders, trying to warm up. But the longer she did so, the colder it became and she began to feel a sense of loneliness. Her heart ached. Her body numbed. She looked over at the hearth expecting to see Hestia glaring at her, but was greeted with a scarier sight. The fire was dying. _No,_ she thought. She stood up and ran to it. She had to save it. She remembered Hera telling her about the fire. It was at least a year ago. She couldn't let it die. She couldn't lose the strand of light this mountain had left.

 _"The hearth is supposed to be a home's fire, but ... it's more than that. It's sacred. To me. To Hestia. That everlasting flame in the throne room, it's sacrosanct for everybody on this mountain, Little Vex. The hearth is home, it speaks to family. It signifies a community. This is a symbol of unity among Olympus, for it to pass on implies Hestia has abandoned us. It would mean she has no family left to share a home. She has no home to give to a family. It is past imperative to keep it alive. If this fire dies. Then she does too," Hera became quiet. A_ _ _hero had been calling out to the gods during the week asking Hestia for guidance. At that very moment, due to this, Hestia__ _ _ _was in the mortal world___ _ _. So, without the goddess' knowledge, Hera allowed Adiya to go near the eternal fire__ _. There would have been no way the goddess would've let Adiya near the hearth otherwise._

 _She looked at Hera's face. Her eyes glowing in the fire's light. Her chocolaty eyes held a heaviness and depth to them, years of stories and wisdom that had all gone untold. She didn't smile, it was rare to see the woman smile._

 _The wrinkles in her eyes said something else however._

 _The goddess looked back at Adiya catching her staring. Her pulse jumped. She had looked into Hera's eyes plenty of times before. This time it was different. There was an intensity that Adiya had never seen. The monarch's eyes didn't show her to be irate or disturbed. In fact, it was almost tender. Adiya's eyes scanned her features, her wonderful, delicate skin. Her full, red lips. Her big, dark eyes. The strands of grey hair that cornered her eye which contrasted her long, dark, Auburn hair. A tall, dainty nose which influenced her face to appear long. The tranquil, apple light of the fire painting her face, stroking it delicately as though it feared marring her appearance with a substandard shade of red._

 _The goddess tilted her head at the mortal._

 _The mortal looked away back at the hearth. She took a gander at the smoldering of the coals and relished in the heat. She wasn't sure whether it belonged to the fire. "Do you like Hestia? Forgive my intrusion, but you and her never really talk. Are you two even on good terms?"_

 _The goddess' eyes wandered to the hearth's rim. She bit her bottom lip in an apprehensive manner, her shoulders drooping, giving away how tired the queen was. Then very slowly straightened her back so she once again towered over her companion. Her eyes delicate again,"We're sisters. We've encountered everything together. Times change, our blood does not. Just because we don't talk doesn't mean I don't care for her. Even if she doesn't care for me. I feel this is my defect._ _Administering to the individuals who couldn't care less for me._ _Regulating to those who won't nurture me._ _I do hope, that one day we can restore our bond. In any case, at the present time, that thought isn't possible. So I leave trinkets here and there or do small favors for her to show I still care. That, despite all these years I still think about her."_

"Come on, Hestia. Please. Please! She still loves you! There is still a family! Please!" She began to cry out loud her eyes letting go of the tears that had been accumulating. She kept running in and out of the throne room looking for wood outside and around the temple like building to add to the fire. She cried for help but no one seemed to hear her. She thought of Demeter, but Demeter wouldn't be in her right state of mind to help her sister. She remembered seeing the goddess meandering through the streets of Olympus grieving for her daughter, the plants growing dry and grey as she passed them. Who would be able to help Hestia? Who would know how to revive her fire?

Hera would know.

She would know how to help. It was her sister. But where did _she_ go?

Ares! He had to know! _Hold on Hestia, we'll help you,_ she picked herself up and ran down the main road that ran from the top of the mountain to the golden gates of Olympus. By the speed of which she ran past the homes of Zeus and Hera, Demeter, and what Hera liked to call her office home she knew she would make Hermes proud but despite this fact she pushed herself to run faster. She could see the top of Ares' home. The black slanting of his roof.

"Ares!" She cried. "O' Ares, mighty god of war! I summon thee, lord and power! I beseech thy aid!" No answer or any form of power made itself present. She threw herself on his obsidian door once she arrived and rapped at it. "Ares, please! It's urgent!"

Adiya continued to attack his door. She had no other ideas left. She didn't know of anyone else who'd be able to help. Well, she could think of one. But she didn't want to go to Zeus.

He had done enough.

After what seemed like an eternity the door opened. She was greeted by a surprising sight. Athena had answered the door.

Her long hair was let down and her clothes seemed suspicious. Wrinkled in a suggestive way. Adiya didn't want to think it true, but there was new gossip on Olympus. Rumors that Ares and Athena had a secret relationship behind Zeus' back. She just couldn't see it though. The two were constantly at each other's throats, then again so were she and Hera.

Despite their constant, public quarrels. The goddess was quite kind to her when they were alone or in the presence of someone foreign to their relationship.

She thought back to the day when Hera took her back home to visit friends and what little family she had left. Back to The Valley. Back to Reseda.

 _Whore her mother had called her. Called them both. Something had flashed dangerously in Hera's eyes that day._

 _Adiya didn't see it when her mother had insulted the goddess. Truth be told, the ruler kept a quiet veneer as her mother shrieked obscenities at her, calling Hera impure. A demon. In fact, Hera seemed fascinated at her mother's reaction. Almost amused. No doubt, her mother believed that it was Hera that had taken Adiya. The woman believed Hera had ripped away what she called "her only support in life."_

 _Then mother turned on daughter, she pointed a finger at her chest. A spur of words aimed at her._

 _Whore._ _Puta_ _. Slut._ _Ramera_ _. Bitch._ _Pendeja_ _. Dumbass._ _Cabróna_ _._

 _A_ _familiar twinge of pain struck at her heart but other than that, she remained emotionless used to the valley of words her mother used to describe Adiya often while she was still in school and her father was on a business trip._

 _Hera stepped between mother and daughter towering over both. That was when Adiya saw it. The impending danger that showed in Hera's eyes. She cast a shadow upon the older woman and sneered, her eyes glowing and eyeing it's prey the way a tiger would._

 _Adiya's mother had been beautiful once, but now her superficial appearance matched her inner one. She was ugly with wrinkles that folded her pasty, yellow skin. Her matted, thin hair rested wildly upon her head. Her teeth had yellowed and fragmented; a permanent frown was carved onto her face which made her beady eyes seem meaner._

 _Hera wrinkled her nose at her. The smell of alcohol and cigarettes was strong. She looked back at Adiya. She realized that the goddess was comparing the two, mother from daughter, and she couldn't find what it was that made the two related._

 _"Let's go, Little Vex. Our home waits." Her voice sounded cold, her British accent was heavier than usual. She head toward the door and opened it_. Our _home, was Hera accepting the mortal? Or trying to shame the mother? The old hag didn't pay any mind. She screeched at the queen._

 _"Yeah, that's right! Go back to where you came from,_ _Guera_ _!" Hera let out her usual one syllable laugh. The two mortals startled at the noise. It was such a foreign noise that came out of her one could only associate it to the sound of oncoming tragedy. She turned sharply back toward Adiya's mother._

 _"Call me what you will. At least I have a common decency to keep my personal hygiene clean,_ _Beaner_ _. And if that offends you, I've lived longer than you think. I know forgotten insults that would put you to disgrace. Adiya, let's leave the scum of the Earth to themselves and socialize with the more edified."_

 _"Yes, Hera."_

"What do you need?" Athena opened the door a bit wider, raising a brow at her impatiently. Adiya looked past her; into the dark hallway. It irked the goddess and she stepped back into her view, frowning at Adiya. "I'm looking for Ares." Athena began to open her mouth,"It's urgent, Athena. The fire. It's dying. I know Hera can help save it but I don't know where she is."

Athena studied her. Her grey eyes ran her through sending her chills; as if trying to catch her lie. She went back inside leaving the door ajar. Adiya didn't need to go inside to know she was fetching Ares. She could hear her voice echo through the temple and his hard voice answering hers. Hushed whispers. Hurried voices. Alarming tones. Ares stepped through the door. He was a grand man of great height and muscle. His sun burnt skin carried fading, white scars as proof of his battles as god of war. His beady eyes held the same harsh shade of brown as his mother's but when placed under a light shone red; his black hair in a wind swept fringe up. Something about his frame, his posture, the way he frowned and carried himself, reminded the mortal of his father, but the glare that glued her gaze to his was Hera's. The shape of his brow and the tilt of his head was Hera. He cleared his throat as she would and asked,"Is it true? My aunt has abandoned us?"

Coarse and like thunder, his voice rang through the temple. Athena stood behind him, holding the same posture he had.

"If we hurry she won't. Lord Ares, we need to speak with your mother. I'm sure she knows how to save her sister."

Adiya had wiped away her tears but her cheeks remained wet. She swallowed the lump in her throat and still her voice caught. She steadied herself, making her body sturdy and she trembled. This wasn't the way she wanted to present herself to the gods of war.

Ares looked at Athena with the same intensity Hera looked at her sometimes. Athena looked back at him returning the gaze. Did she look at Hera the same way?

Ares nodded and looked back at Adiya stepping into the sun. His flaming eyes stuck to her, his jaw line structured like Zeus' but the determination in his eye built like Hera's.

 _"How did you come to meet my husband, Little Vex?"_

Ares walked toward her and held out his hand,"Come with me."

 _"I was at the park. It was a friend's birthday and I was going to celebrate with them."_

She took his hand. She turned to take a gander at the goddess of wisdom. Her startling gaze held hers.

 _"I met Zeus as I walked to the corner after the party. He had walked by the same bus stop I waited at. Told me he felt compelled to stay with me until my bus arrived, he didn't want to see me getting hurt."_

His hands were rough. Calloused, yet soft. He led her away from the prying eyes of the gray-eyed maiden.

 _"I would take that bus everyday to work. I would have to wait at that bus stop everyday to go back home."_

"I do indeed know where it is my mother goes. But no one else must know. No one," he said as he pulled her back up the hill.

 _"Every evening he would be there."_

He led her back to the temple she began to call home.

 _"At first I thought it to be a mere coincidence every time he passed by. Eventually, he would begin to wait at the stop. He said his name was William, and we would talk until the bus arrived."_

He pulled her through the temple, through the always confusing crisscross of hallways that Zeus and Hera would navigate so easily.

 _"Eventually, I told him of my troubles at home."_

They passed by a large oak door where Zeus would preside in doing work.

 _"Why Dad left Mom. Why he couldn't take me with him."_

They walked past the golden ball room. Quiet and cold.

 _"All the horrible things Mom would do to me even when Dad was around."_

They walked past the kitchen.

 _"I would always ask questions about him. His family. Where he lived. Where he came from."_

Ares was huffing now, Adiya struggled to keep up with his pace.

 _"He always responded with the same thing,"_

Ares had let go of her hand and the distance between them became greater.

 _" 'It's complicated.' "_

The god looked back at her. He stopped walking, waited impatiently for her to catch up.

 _"Finally, one day he told me he was a god. To prove it, he made one miracle happen everyday for one month."_

"Get on my back," he said. Hunching over so she could reach him.

 _"He never told me who he was, but on the last day of the month. He asked me to leave with him. To go to Mount Olympus with him, away from my pathetic life in The Valley."_

Adiya hopped on and held tight as the god of war sped past the kitchen and into the back hall of the temple.

 _"I was desperate. I wanted something new. Something I thought he could give me."_

Ares burst through the back door and ran through Hera's garden.

 _"He promised me he would."_

Ares sprinted through the garden's length towards its closed off area. The topic that had started this mess.

 _"But you knew he was married."_

"Close your eyes!" He ordered and Adiya felt herself get sucked into that familiar vacuum that she wished was Hera's divine power taking her back to Sweden.

 _"Not until I saw your thrones. The way you stared at us, and the empty seat next to you. That's when I realized who he was."_

They landed in snow. A blizzard had begun to blow around them whipping their hair around their face, trying to tear at their clothes.

 _"Did you get what you wanted?"_

The two stood up brushing off the snow, and trudging forward. They squinted in the flurry of white.

 _"Yes, but not from him."_

"I think I see her! Up ahead!" Ares announced. Adiya's head followed his finger to a small figure that was balled up pitifully in the snow.

 _"If my husband couldn't provide you your desire. Then who did?"_

"Hera!" She cried. She ran to the goddess. She touched her shoulder, tears falling. Despite the cold, the smell of vanilla reached her nostrils. "Is it her?" Ares was the one who had to catch up this time, taken aback by the mortal's sudden tailwind.

Adiya nodded holding Hera tightly. She was cold, like a corpse. She looked down at her face to find that the golden pallor of divinity was gone. Her lips were blue and she was still beaten and bloodied. Adiya's tears fell onto Hera's cheek. Ares stood to the side confused,"That is not my mother."

Adiya didn't respond. She knew it was her. Her hand reached for Hera's and holding it. She could recognize her by touch alone. By her sweet smell. She would know her blind, by the way she'd breath and the way she sounded when her feet hit the floor. She would know her in death and insanity.

"Hera, please wake up. Olympus needs you."

 _The goddess stayed quiet after Adiya answered her question. She looked out over the horizon at the setting sun. They were at the same porch Adiya had tried to throw herself off. At first, the mortal thought the goddess hadn't heard or was disgusted with her confession. Just as she was ready to jump over the cliff again she felt a soft, warm touch hold her hand. The firmness of the grip. The dainty but powerful tenderness it held. She couldn't mistake it for anyone else's. Hera smiled. It was the first Adiya had ever received that wasn't accompanied with a snide comment. The two continued to watch the sun rise, both hoping that time would not follow._


	12. Chapter 12

"Hera!" Adiya cried.

She ran over to the shadowed ball Ares had pointed out in the distance. He ran after her, somehow slower than the mortal when they were still back on Olympus. His lungs burnt, something he never thought would happen to him while chasing after a mortal.

He looked down at the girl, she had collapsed to her knees holding a limp figure. His brown eyes surveyed the scene. Adiya was wearing a simple white dress with a red sash and her waist. He remembered it to be the dress she wore when she first stepped onto Olympus. Her golden hair was stuck to her sweaty forehead and her tears, clear and warm, landed on the icy cheek of the woman she held.

He looked closer at the woman. She was pale, with large bruises that mottled her face and arms. She wore a basil dress, which was tattered from the hem and sleeve. Brown hair lay about her haphazardly and her broken, plump lips were slightly parted. There was a golden wedding ring on her finger.

He stepped closer carefully, a wedding ring? Was that what Adiya was basing this woman's identity on? He shook his head. This woman. She didn't look like a goddess. She didn't radiate the power, the aura, that his mother held. His mother would never be crumpled in the snows of Russia this way.

"That is not my mother," he told the mortal.

The mortal ignored him holding the woman tighter, foreheads touching. The way she cried, the sentiment she held. Her wails, he never thought he would hear them outside of the battlefield, he looked up expecting to see a triumphant soldier carrying a bloodied sword but only found the empty flurry of snow Russia could offer. "Hera, please wake up. Olympus needs you,"he heard the mortal cry.

He looked back at the two women and knelt next to them. This couldn't be his mother, this woman was nearly dead; if not, completely dead. He held a hand out to touch her, it shook with the possibility that it was his mother.

He was reaching out to her, to touch her shoulder when the smell of vanilla reached his nostrils.

 _"Ares, my love, don't run too far. I can't see you beyond the cave," She called out to him._

 _He looked back at the woman. She was young. Curly, brown hair framed her face as a white dress wrapped around her petite body delicately. She looked no older than 15. A little girl held her hand, around his age. She was dressed in robes and her black hair was straight and cropped off at her shoulders._

 _The little girl looked up at the teenager with rusty eyes and then back at him,"You should listen to mommy! The Titans could be out there, brother!"_

 _He stood at the shore's edge, the water tickling his toes and then running away from him. "Ares, come on," the teenager called to him. He looked back out at the broad horizon that stretched out for miles, he tried looking past the point where the sky and the sea touched. He looked back to the cave, where his father was raised, where he and his sister were both born, and where his mother and sister stood now. Then to a point above the cave where a lush mountain loomed over them._

 _"Ares, if you stay near I'll show you a surprise," the teenager had called._

 _He sighed waddling back up to them and taking her other hand._

 _She led them up and over the cave to the mountain that stood tall and proud. His short legs struggled to keep up with her long ones which strode over the rocks and hills so easily._ _When would he be able to step over as many rocks as she did?_

 _Eventually, they reached the highest point of the mountain and there he received a splendid view. Grassy hills and blue oceans as far as the eye could see. To his right a dark sea of green trees and just beyond the north of the mountain's rocky shore was a blanket of white where an everlasting kingdom of snow presided._

 _The little girl gasped at the sight, and gawked at the mountain a few miles away from them, one that was charred black and barren._ Mount Orthys, _he thought. The location where his aunts and uncles fought. Where_ _his father led a small "would-be" army into what his mother believed to be a dangerous mission against his grandfather._ _If so, why didn't they just talk things out? Like...like..what did his aunt call it once? Like a diplomacy._ _They could avoid so much violence if they put down their weapons and grudges and had talked it over._

 _The teenager sat them down as she hugged them both close._ _They continued to look at the distant mountain with hopes that some miracle would happen for them to win the war, but nothing came. At some point he felt the slender fingers of his mother gently combing his hair as she told them stories of the wonderful home they would build on this mountain. Soon he and his twin were laying in their mother's lap, eyes closed, the scent of vanilla reaching their nostrils and lulling them to a deep sleep._

Ares' hand reached for his mother's and held it tight. She couldn't be dead. She was a goddess, the queen of the gods. There was no way she could be dead.

"How did this happen?" He looked sharply at Adiya. She looked back up at him, her guilt radiating off of her.

He took Hera's form into his own arms ripping her away from Adiya's embrace,"You did this to her. You caused this. Didn't you."

"Ares-"

 _ **"Didn't you."**_

The mortal held her breath, she looked him in the eye her breath shaky. His eyes were glowing a bright shade of red, a bloody shade of red and his body trembled with rage. She stumbled over the word but eventually she managed a "yes."

His breath hitched. He stood holding the goddess's body close to his chest and turned away from the mortal. After taking a couple steps away he turned his head sharply to her,"If it were up to me I'd leave you to die. But you're not _my_ whore, so hurry up."

Adiya stood shakily, unsure as to whether she should follow or not, but her legs moved of their own accord following the god of war.

She held onto his shirt with a shaky hand, on instinct she had closed her eyes, but she forced them open.

The vacuum sucked them in. It was nauseating seeing the swirl of different shapes and colors combine.

Her feet landed hard on the floor, causing the soles of her feet to sting with a surge of pain.

They were standing in the middle of the throne room. Cold and grey. The thrones that stood around the hearth loomed over her as if judging her, ready to send her to hell. In front of her were the charred and cold remains of what used to be the eternal fire. Tears welled in her eyes.

They were too late.

Ares lay Hera in front of the hearth as if he handled glass. He looked back at Adiya tensely. His eyes scorched her skin, she could feel it crawl under his gaze.

"Since you're special enough to cause all of _**this**_. I want you to call the rest of the council. All ten of them. No shortcuts. No help. Now, go before I lose patience and smother you all over these walls."

Adiya gulped and ran out of the throne room. It was strange running for her life when she didn't care for it. Hera had formed her entire world, and now with her gone it felt empty. She didn't want to live if Hera wasn't the one threatening her life.

She knocked on the doors and windows of every temple, calling out to the council to meet at the throne room. She looked in every nook and cranny in the Square. She traveled to the Northside where the winter gods presided and looked for any there. She traveled to the Westside of Olympus where the wilderness gods inhabited and searched for any council members there. She went East where more of the grassy hills of Olympus hid the more obscure gods. She went South where the water washed up against the Rocky cliffs of the mountain. Everywhere she went she called out their names individually. She was sure she had gotten their attention, and ran back up the mountain. Her feet bled from running barefoot across the forest and snow and she was drenched in her sweat from the constant running. She had trails of grime on her dress and skin due to her tripping over her own feet several times.

She reached the mountain's peak, passing by Hephaestus as he struggled to climb the steps to the large double doors, and stepped into the throne room, stubbing her toe on the closing doors. It was silent. Stunned faces standing a good distance away from Ares and Athena. One who held onto Hera, the other comforting the mourning god. Adiya couldn't catch her breath, but she looked around the room to see if everyone was here.

Not everyone was here.

Zeus and Demeter were missing. Adiya stepped back out as Hephaestus finally limped inside.

She ended up running back down hill and losing herself in the endless maze of halls of Zeus and Hera's home. Eventually, she walked up to the doors that held Zeus' office private to the world. They were two large emerald doors with a mountain carved into them. She had never been in here before. She had never thought of going in and no one ever really mentioned it.

It would be a lucky guess if he was even inside. Would he be upset? Would he kill her?

She stepped through the doors at the thought. It was a large chamber. A red carpet lay on the wooden floors and bookstands lined the walls neatly, glass doors protecting the contents on their shelves. Two chairs stood in front of a neatly organized desk with a dusty green lamp, what she assumed to be a typewriter, and a cage with papers stacked in it. Three windows broke the formation of the book stands and shed light into the room. One window stood just behind the antique, oaken desk and the other two on the walls that were on either side of the room. Velvet curtains draped the windows elegantly.

He was here. In his leather recliner chair, head bent over something on his desk. He hadn't even heard her come in. She stepped forward and he didn't look up. Not until she cleared her throat. He looked up at her with a hard look that sent a shock through her body, but then it softened at the realization of who it was.

He stood with a loving smile and stepped toward her,"My lovely Adiya, what a pleasure it is to see you. I didn't think you'd ever visit me in my office but I suppose it was bound to-"

"Ares is calling for a council meeting in the throne room, _Zeus_. You must go immediately." She had spat out his name in such a hostile manner it made Zeus flinch. He tilted his head at her, confused with her behavior and reached out to hold her hand. She slinked away from him, leaving to look for Demeter.

She decided to leave using the halls Ares used to get out the back door. In no time, she found herself back in Hera's garden and wandered around into what eventually led to Demeter's garden. She looked around. There was no way this was Demeter's garden, it was all dead. She wandered throughout the dried garden calling for Demeter when finally she came across the statue of two women. A younger one holding an elderly woman tightly in her arms. The young lady was crying stony tears, the old woman's eyes were shut with years of miserly wrinkles and her lips turned down in a frown. Why would Demeter have this in her garden? It was depressing. Who would spend so much time giving it this much detail. It almost looked...real.

"Dem-Demeter?" Her voice squeaked, she looked around her, hoping to see some kind of life and stepped closer to the statue and her hand brushed against the older woman's face. Her hair seemed thin despite being made of stone, but her clothes seemed familiar, Adiya remembered Demwter wearong this once, last uear when Persephone left ot the Underworld once again. Her breathing turned into a panicked inhale as her eyes moved to the young lady. She wore glasses, the same one's Hestia wore. Her hair was cut short, to her shoulders and their was a band in her hair; and her robes. Only Hestia would be so conservative.

She took a step back and fell to the ground. She looked at the two goddesses, stone-faced in their grief. But why? They'd been alive for years. Why did they finally give in now? Is this how gods faded? Did that mean...all those ancient Greek statues...no. No way, but then again, she had never seen a god fade...Hera was cold and unmoving..but she wasn't stone. No, this couldn't be the end result of a god fading. It just couldn't be.

She kneeled in front of the statue, her hand rested on Demeter's knee.

All three sisters, in one hour. _You good for nothing whore,_ she heard her mother cry. _You did this. You've killed everything. You've ruined everything like you always do. Worthless. Pathetic._

"I know. I know. I know. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Hera, I'm sorry. Please, come back. I'm sorry," she stayed still, sobbing into her palms. What had she done? How was it that she made everything crumble right before her just by uttering a single name to Zeus. A tear rolled down her arm and onto the dry ground. _Eugh_ _,_ she heard. _What_ _have I told you about crying. It's not very appealing._

"I know, but look at what I've done. I've killed everything. I've ruined everything. I should've fallen that day. I should've died that day."

 _D_ _on't flatter yourself too much, Demeter has always been a tad bit dramatic._

"But, she's faded. And Hestia-"

 _Mmm, yes. That is quite troubling, but Demeter will be fine, after all, it is only January. Persephone should return soon to help her mother rise again. She hasn't faded. No, no. But Hestia, I don't know... it'll be touch and go. Though, Hades has never met you, maybe there's still time to save someone. Surprisingly, a little vex like you holds much potential._

Adiya finally looked up from her hands. She was alone with the statue in the garden.

She knew what she had to do. Good thing Ares hadn't given her a time limit.

 **o0o**

Zeus sauntered into the throne room deep in thought over the recent events that unfolded. Why had Adiya looked at him inside such a way. He kept seeing her blue eyes glaring at him in such a wrathful manner. They weren't intimidating like Hera's, but they held some kind of power that had been previously untapped. Whatever it was that made her upset, he needed to fix. Curse the Fates if Hera had something to do with this, again.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Ares holding a woman tightly in his arms, his nose was red and eyes were puffy, when he looked up his eyes were glassy. They were full of stubborn tears, he scowled at Zeus. An exact replica of Hera's own glower stared him down.

 ** _"You did this. You and that_** **whore** ** _. I'll be damned if I let you get away with this,"_** Ares hissed in a guttural manner. Zeus responded with an indignant and confused stare.

"Excuse me?"

 ** _"You heard me. Look at her!_** ** _LOOK AT HER!_** ** _LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE! YOU'D RATHER GIVE_** ** _HER_** ** _LIFE FOR A_** ** _MORTAL'S_** ** _!"_**

The ground trembled, as Ares pupils turned into a bloodthirsty red. Zeus saw his reflection in them. He mistook himself for Hera for a moment. He held the same stupefied look she did when his rage took him over earlier. Is this what he looked like in his own rage? Merciless? Cruel?

He took a step closer in order to calm his son and Ares tensed. The only restraint holding back the god of war was the limp form in his arms and Athena's hand on his shoulder. Zeus looked at Athena, he stared into his own stony gaze. She scowled at him in a lesser degree.

 **"Are you still confused,** ** _father."_** Ares held such venom to the word, Zeus found himself flinching again. Ares stood, Athena flanking him, he carried the woman in his arms bridal style and he walked stiffly toward him,"Don't you recognize her? You've seen her like this countless times. I still remember. I still have the scars. You still don't recognize her? **_Then look at her._** Look at her **face** **.** Look at her **hand.** ** _Her finger._** This is your **_wife_** ** _._** Or has your mind been blinded and erased by your lust for that _wench."_

His voice teetered again. It was on a scale of danger. Zeus looked down at the woman. Her hair, her lips, her chin. He looked farther down. Her clothes, her skin. He looked at her hand. Golden bracelets hung loosely from her wrist threatening to fall, her finger held a golden band. It looked familiar. He instinctively looked down at his and found its twin.

He looked up with an airy gasp. This couldn't be. He couldn't have done this. He'd had hit her before, yes. But he had never gone this far. His mouth parted in surprise and there was a slight crackle of electricity that was heard in the air. His hands reached for her face when Ares slapped his hand away.

 ** _"Don't you dare cry for her, Zeus."_**

The king looked his son in the eye. There was a tense and electrical gaze the two shared. He looked at Hephaestus who gandered at them from the hearth's rim. There was something cold in his eyes he couldn't understand. Athena held the same gaze Hephaestus did, too. Artemis' eyes were glassy. Apollo's looked wise. None of the other council members seemed to sympathize the king of the gods.

"We've been waiting for well over an hour, I wouldn't have doubted if you and your little prostitute had been fucking before her last meal because the moment she walks in here I'm blasting her to pieces. She hasn't brought everyone like I've asked her."

"I'm afraid you'll have to delay your execution, Ares. For she's brought me now. She had to take a detour on her way to get to me."

Demeter stood in the doorway looking like a young woman in her thirties. Adiya stood behind her. Grime lined her face and her dress was torn. The door was open behind her, outside the snow was melting. Persephone, a younger woman with black hair, olive skin, electric blue eyes, and black dress, was on the road, helping a tree grow its flowers for the new season.

"I'm sorry, but spring had to come early this year. I hope none of you mind," Adiya wheezed.

Demeter finally noticed the figure in Ares arms and stepped toward. She walked walked calmly and the god of war held onto Hera protectively. Demeter looked him in the eye, she watched his face carefully as if he were six years old again and gingerly took Hera into her own arms, slowly letting him now that she was in safe hands. She sniffed lightly, holding back frustrated tears and placed her sister at the foot of her throne. She turned toward Zeus sharply after making sure she wouldn't crack under during her scene, "You _idiot. You absolute buffoon._ ** _What have you done?_** "

Adiya stood in front of the god,"Don't punish him. It's my fault. I should've never come here-"

"No one was talking to you, you insolent little-"

"Ares, watch yourself," Zeus snapped.

"Watch myself? You should be the one watching your back, you two timing mother fu-"

"Ares! That'll be quite enough from both of you. At the moment, we need to help Hera. Once that is done, we'll continue here," Athena intervened.

She snapped her fingers and Apollo jumped into action as if he'd been waiting for this moment his entire life. He made his way to Hera and began tending to her wounds.

"Hypothermia, intracerebral hemorage, syncope."

"What does that mean?" Ares asked.

Athena sighed, "She's fainted due to a temporary reduction in blood flow and therefore a shortage of oxygen to the brain, partly due to the hemorage within her brain. And she's got hypothermia."

Apollo sighed with relief,"She's still a goddess, this'll make healing her a lot simpler than it seems. Someone hold her so she's sitting."

Adiya ached to go and hold her but she was shoved to the side by Ares. His eyes glowed like embers in the dark as he looked back at her, they glued her to that spot unwilling to let her feel anything but the want of suicide.

Apollo placed his hands on Hera's forehead and chest and his palms began glowing. The larger, openned wounds left on her body closed and cleaned themselves up leaving behind white scars from where they were before. He finally snapped his fingers demandingly and Hermes gave him a a golden goblet and Apollo poured its contents down Hera's throat. A second later her skin retained its divine glow and her deathly palor vanished supplanted by a healthier skin tone. The white scars lightened to a fading brown and other marks on her body began on their process to healing as well. Her eyes fluttered to life.

Adiya couldn't believe it, she was one goblet of nectar away from losing everything. Why didn't Apollo do anything from the moment he saw Hera, did Ares intimidate anyone that got near?

Hera looked around confused, "What-? How did I? Why are you?"

She looked at her dress and Adiya could see the humiliation on her eyes. She didn't want anyone to see her like this. Beaten. Defeated. Her prized dress torn to shreds by the very man who had given it to her.

Ares hands squeezed Hera's shoulders reassuringly and the goddess looked up into Ares dangerous, volcanic eyes, "It's relieving to see you're okay. Now if you'll excuse me." He let go of Hera as he lunged at Zeus.

"Ares, no!" Athena cried.


	13. Chapter 13

Thunder and lightning filled the room. Shouts echoed throughout the throne room making the deafening chaos even worst. Hera had been pushed out of the way by someone trying to stop the madness. She continued to watch the events unfold.

Poseidon was trying to reach for Zeus but he pushed his brother back with an electric field. He sent a bolt toward Ares who'd roll out of the way, leaving a black crater where the bolt had struck, and tackle Zeus. The two sent a volley of punches at each other.

Were the fates giving her a second chance? Were they trying to help her catch a silver lining? She didn't know. She stared in shock as she watched her son and husband brawl. There was a glimmer in Ares hand, he had gotten hold of Zeus' bolt and was ready to use it. That's when Zeus sent Ares dagger through his shoulder. Ares let out a cry, Zeus kicked him off and pressed down on his son's injured shoulder. He regained possession of his bolt.

Adiya called Hera's name; it jolted the queen back into the present. She sprung into action.

Her mind raced with a millenium old memory, punches. Kicks. Shouts. Curses. Hera pushing Zeus away from Ares and shaming her son for acting in such a way. Ares abandoning her, Zeus' rage against her that night for letting Ares get away without consequences.

She knew better this time. She would not make the same mistake with Ares again.

She pulled Zeus off of him, found the strength to push him away toward Poseidon, and stood in front of Ares protectively, "Enough!"

Ares perched himself on his elbows and hissed,"You're gonna defend him again, aren't you."

"Hush, Ares, you know full well you're not supposed to attack Zeus like this."

"I was-"

"I know. Thank you, as for you, _Zeus_." There it was again the same venom he heard before. Zeus looked around the room, no one spared him a glance of mercy. He looked at Adiya. She was in a corner, Demeter stood by her side, the two gave him stony stares. Athena wouldn't look him in the eye, she was kneeled next to Ares, she was tending to his shoulder wrapping it carefully in gauze. He looked behind him, toward his brother, Poseidon's eyes were cruel. He turned back to his wife.

"You are a king. Act like it, Zeus. You hear whispers, and you assume they're conspiracies against you. You hear the conflict of swords, and you assume they're swords being honed for a battle against you. You hear your name, and you assume it's apart of blasphemy. Look around, Zeus! What you do is trivial! Then, you turn around, torment our lives, and expect us to be fine. I've never minded, I'm your wife, I have to put up with you. But, do not ever lay a finger on my children again. I will make my wrath known to you, _Zeus_. And you only. No refuge in Olympus, Hades, or Earth will be able to hide you."

Zeus stared at his wife in awe, she hadn't just threatened him, had she? He stood up straight throwing Poseidon's arms off, he outstretched his now free arms and chuckled, "Hera. My love, our son needs a beating or two if he is to learn to respect me. He does not need you to baby him. Look at him! He's weak and pathetic. Look at the indecency of him, daring to make this sort of contact with Athena!"

"He _is_ respectful, father! You're the one who needs to control your temper! It's expected from Ares being a savage of war, but your king of the almighty Olympian gods! These recent events: bringing a mortal to Olympus without making her immortal, choosing the well being of her over Hera, the retaliation of Ares' actions, these are points counted against you. If you keep on this path, you'll find yourself in the same position of Kronos, and you will definitely not be happy when the day comes to that," Athena stood beside Hera, the two had never really been on good terms, but something happened that day. That day, Hera was in charge. Zeus was the problem that day, and with Athena siding with Hera and bringing up points that Hera had always thought but never voiced, finally made the gods who hadn't seen the problem come to an epiphany.

Artemis went over and helped her half brother stand. Apollo gave him a soothing cup of nectar.

Zeus stared on in surprise, but eventually it turned into rage. He stepped toward Hera. She had caused this. She was going to be the reason of an uprising on Olympus. Make an example out of her, and the rest will fall in line. He will make them. He will make sure.

Hera could see it in Zeus' eyes. They turned dark with rage, as he lifted his arm, she turned away and braced for impact. There was a patter of feet and she felt a soft linen brush against her hand. Adiya's voice rang clearly through the throne room, "No!"

Hera opened her eyes, Adiya stood in front of her. Zeus had taken a step back. Adiya stepped toward him, "Zeus, that's enough beatings for one day."

Athena hissed at the mortal, "Don't be stupid. Move out of the way!"

"No! If he wants to beat someone, he should beat me! I trespassed into Hera's garden! She and I argued over it and I cry when I'm frustrated! Hera had a reason for doing what she had to, I stepped over a line and she got punished. I deserve to be the one getting beaten, and if you continue to hurt her, Zeus, I'll take my own life!" Hera's ears perked up, normally, she'd be happy, almost ecstatic to hear this, but at that moment, she felt something strange.

The world seemed to pale with her and time around her seemed to have stopped. Movement slowed down, there was no noise to be heard. Zeus and Adiya gave each other a tense stare, eventually Zeus said something and walked away. The others didn't know how to react. A few patted Adiya's shoulder and left. Others gave her a strange talking to. Hera could hear it in their voice that they were unhappy, but she couldn't understand their words. Ares kissed his mother's cheek, but she felt numb. Her vision blurred as she watched Ares and Athena leave the throne room hand in hand and immediately part when they stepped out into public.

What brought her senses back were Adiya's eyes staring into her own. Her hands rested on Hera's forearms. Hera was sitting and she could feel the backrest. When had she gone to her throne?

Adiya's sweet voice filled her ears, "Hera, are you okay?"

Hera didn't know. She was enraged. Adiya had caused this whole debacle, but by the looks of it, she did everything in her power to fix it. She was taking responsibility for disrespecting Hera and yet told off Zeus. Hera remembered the nothingness she felt when she stopped seeing, stopped hearing, stopped feeling. The snow in Russia had embraced her and she felt herself go at peace. She hadn't felt anything at that moment, no anger. No hatred. No love.

She felt the same way looking into Adiya's eyes right now. She heard her ask again, "Are you okay?" The sound of her voice was liberating.

She didn't want to feel that nothingness anymore, and suddenly Adiya's eyes gave her a different feeling. Her presence brought Hera to life. She did something she didn't think she'd ever do. She hugged the mortal.

"Don't you ever threaten your life again, you stupid Little Vex. I've grown to like you," Hera sighed. Her throat began to stung and her eyes welled with tears.

She felt Adiya embrace her. She whispered into her ear, "No. No. I'd never leave you alone, Hera. I love you too much to leave you like this."

They were alone in the throne room, but Aphrodite could hear them from outside. She could feel their warm embrace, the heat from each other's bodies mixing together in a welcoming way. She could see the glowing admiration Adiya held for Hera. She could smell Adiya's perfume Hera lovingly took in. She could taste the salt from the tears the two finally let out once they finally registered they were both alive and well.

Aphrodite turned back toward the throne room and smiled. _Interesting, very interesting indeed,_ she thought. Then she frowned and looked back at Hera's office and across the street to the home she shared with Zeus. She looked back at the throne room with troubled eyes, _Oh, please, take care of each other. You're dating the most dangerous god on Olympus whose willing to kill to keep everything the same. I give you my blessings, Sweet Adiya. And happy tidings, Great Hera._


	14. Chapter 14

The two women never parted from each other. They ate together, danced together, talked together, walked together. It seemed the only time the two would leave each other alone was at night, when Nyx would drape the world in her cape and Hypnos sprinkled his sand over the gods' eyes. Morpheus could tell you that the two women didn't stop thinking of each other in their sleep, however.

If they seemed like friendly acquaintances before, they were definitely best friends now. They told each other everything. They'd whisper to each other in the corners of rooms and giggle silently at the playful teasings they'd give each other. Hera continued to play piano, but this time she enjoyed watching the mortal girl dance. The days of Olympus were filled with a strange glimmer of joy.

One day, Hera and Adiya found themselves taking a stroll in Demeter's garden, Hestia was gone. The bench where she had been sitting as stone was empty, footprints could be seen walking away from the bench. Adiya had let out a cry of joy and Hera could only smile to show her gratitude at knowing Hestia was okay.

Adiya was allowed to sit at the table with the Olympians as long as she served Zeus and Hera like she were a servant. Speaking of which, Zeus' callings occurred less and less. The days seemed like they would hold never ending happiness, and Hera looked forward to the next days.

Was this what it would've been like? If she and Helios had married? Would the days always be like this? She didn't know, and for once, she was okay with not knowing.

One night, however, Hera had woken in a cold sweat. She had dreamt of a tall building. It was a blue, cloudless sky and the building was crumbling to the ground. Hera ran out of what looked like a cafe and ran towards the ruins. She looked through the rubble calling Adiya's name. She kept thinking, _It's my fault. This is all my fault. I've lost her._

She eventually found Adiya, but she wasn't breathing. She was gone. Hera let out a cry of pain and that's where she sat upright. She woke with a hand over her stomach and her night gown was drenched in her sweat. She had trouble regulating her breathing and when the adrenaline in her had finally calmed she looked over at Zeus who slept peacefully next to her.

The rays from the moon outside made his curls glow like she were still in a dream. She let out a soft sigh. Silently threw her legs over the bedside and stood. The floor was unforgivingly cold, but she walked barefoot anyway. She tiptoed out of the room and closed the oak door behind her as she stepped into the hallway.

Her back rested against the door and she took another deep breath. Her heart rate sped up again as she watched Adiya's door taunt her from across the hall. She swallowed the lump in her throat and silently walked over to the door. She opened it and poked her head inside.

Adiya's curtains were opened fully, it was a fantastic view of the ocean. The moon shone inside the room giving everything an eery glow. Adiya slept in her bed. She had a habit of making a little alcove with her pillows and blankets, and that's where Adiya was buried in. She reminded Hera of a bunny during winter. Hera stepped closer to her and sat at her bedside looking her over.

She giggled quietly as she watched Adiya's nose twitch like she really were a rabbit. Hera looked away from the mortal and around the room, she looked at all the dark corners no matter how uncomfortable they made her and after making sure Adiya was safe, stood silently from the bed and made her way to the door again.

It continued like this for many nights, Hera being startled awake by nightmares, her hand on her stomach as if she were pregnant, her leaving Zeus' side to check on Adiya, and then going back to Zeus' side after making sure the mortal girl was fine.

They were becoming a frequent occurrence, these dreams, she began to get worried. She was thinking of going to Apollo or another Sibyl, but she always thought against it. She was still queen of the gods, she couldn't waste her time on such trivial worries. But then again...she didn't want Adiya to die.

Another thing, what was up with her waking with her hand on her stomach. She wasn't pregnant, in fact, she and Zeus hadn't slept with each other in almost a year. There couldn't be anyway she was pregnant. She felt foolish to go to Apollo to ask him about it. But maybe it could just be her nerves causing her to try and comfort herself.

One night, as she retreated from Adiya's bedroom to her own she heard a small gasp come from Adiya.

She turned toward the mortal and found her eyes glinting at her in the dark, "What are you doing?"

Hera was thankful the moon wasn't out tonight, her face was red enough to cause embarrassment on its own, "I, uh, I had a nightmare. I just came to see if you were okay. I wasn't going to stay the night, I have my own bed to get to."

She began to leave when she heard Adiya say, "Wait. Do you think...do you think you could stay with me tonight?"

"Excuse me?"

"I know it's a bit unorthodox, the mistress and the wife sharing a bed, but the dark has always given me the creeps. It took me two hours just to fall asleep because I was so-"

"Paranoid?" Hera interrupted with a raised brow. Adiya nodded, this time it was her turn to be embarrassed, "Yeah. Gods, I'm so pathetic. Whose ever heard of an adult being afraid of the dark?"

Hera made her way toward her and made herself comfortable on the bed next to her. She caressed her hair lightly, the way she used to when her children were younger. "I have. Plenty of people throughout history have had a fear of the dark, Augustus Caesar had a fear of the dark...I have a fear of the dark," she cooed.

Adiya bent her neck to look up at the goddess, "You? No, way."

Hera nodded, "I do. Zeus knows. He's used it against me. He's left me locked in the closet before. He and my father have given me claustrophobia, too."

Adiya stayed quiet, she looked up at the ceiling and hugged Hera's waist, "Do you feel comfortable hugging people?"

"Well, yes, what I mean by enclosed spaces are places like broom closets, or, uh, small bathrooms. Areas where you don't have much room to walk or stand in, or where there's no windows and just one door."

"Kinda depressing if you think about it."

"Shut up."

"No, no. I'm not making fun. But why do you have a fear of the dark?"

"Again, it started with my father. The years we spent living in Zeus' cave before we could actually live on Olympus, the void Zeus hung me over when we tried to overthrow him...the closets," Hera shivered at the last thought. "Ahem, what about you. Why are you scared?"

"Similar story actually. My mother would lock me in the closet when I misbehaved. And when I grew, men would always stalk me from the shadows."

"What a shame. Tell me who they were, I'll smite them for harassing you."

Adiya giggled and shook her head, "You sound like Zeus the first time we we went out together. But there's no need to. I'm in a better place now, thanks to you and, well, I have to give credit where it's due, but thanks to Zeus, too."

"Hm," Hera looked out the window. The stars were glowing brightly against the dark sky. Eventually she felt Adiya fall limp against her and her breathing become a steady rhythm. Her nose twitched like a rabbitt's letting Hera know that she was in a deep sleep again.

Hera smiled softly, she arranged Adiya's body carefully so she wouldn't wake her and left the room without another word. She wouldn't go back to bed, instead she changed into her day clothes and left the temple into her office to do some work and fulfill prayers to the few believes that existed in the mortal world.

Every night was exactly the same. She didn't grow tired of it. Neither did Adiya. When Hera would come into her room, she grew accustomed to the soft clicking of the door opening and she'd wake. The two would spend an hour talking with each other about the day's events, holding on to each other in the same position from the first night until Adiya fell asleep. When she'd fall asleep, Hera would leave to do work. Hera knew she was risking Zeus waking and finding them together, what would he do if he found them like that. Embraced within each other's arms like a couple of teenagers getting a bit too friendly with one another. Hera grimaced, not wanting to think of Zeus' wrath. Instead, her thoughts were interrupted by Adiya again.

That was a common thought, she could be thinking of something trivial or vital, but Adiya would always manage to creep her way into Hera's thoughts. She just couldn't stop thinking about her. The smell of cherries from her silky, blonde hair. Her glimmering, blue eyes. Her soft, brown skin. Her beautiful curves that flirted with Hera's own. The way their bodies seemed to fit each other perfectly like a puzzle piece.

Hera gasped and washed her face with cold water from her office bathroom. She shouldn't be thinking about the Little Vex like that. Thoughts like those would definitely get her in trouble with Zeus.

But she couldn't help herself.

Late at night, while she was in her office, she'd find herself thinking of Adiya like this. She'd think of her own fingers sliding across Adiya's arms and then onto her sides. Her hands would creep down to her legs, caressing her smooth skin and then sliding back up pulling up Adiya's shirt, which was so large it worked more as a night gown, with it. Slowly revealing her beautiful, thick thighs and her- she rushed to the bathroom dousing herself in cold water.

One day, Hera had heard Adiya's shower running as she woke from a night without nightmares. She had crept inside Adiya's bedroom and peeked through the crack of the open door. She saw Adiya showering in her full glory.

Hera blushed, she felt herself go warm and watched her rinse off the soap that covered her body, and then she felt ashamed. She stepped out of the room, locking the door behind her, giving Adiya the privacy that was rightfully hers. Still, she never stopped thinking of the way she looked when she was in the shower.

She couldn't stand it, she needed to make Adiya hers and hers only. She'd find out a way to keep the mortal girl to herself. Zeus himself wouldn't be able to intervene.

Hera smiled as she watched the mortal laugh at a joke Hermes had told her. Yes, this girl would be hers. She'll move the mountain if she had to just to make her hers.


	15. Chapter 15

"I don't know about this, Hera." Adiya sat at the couch that was placed against the wall in her bedroom. Everything in Adiya's bedroom was a stainless white making Adiya's baby blue dress seem out of place.

Hera found the colors of her bedroom ironic. White symbolized purity, innocence, and chasity; something Adiya was not. Especially within Hera's dreams. Hera fanned herself to cool off and continued relaying her plan, thanking the Fates that it was mid July.

"It will. You just need to have _faith_ , Little Vex! Besides, he can't hurt us. Not after everything he's done," Hera sat across from Adiya holding her hands in her own comfortingly. Her grey robes cascaded around her as if it were melting into the austere environment.

"Hera, this is Zeus we're talking about. The moment he finds out he's gonna put a stop to it, he might kill me or hurt you," Adiya pulled away and stood in front of the goddess.

"Zeus has too many things counting against him at the moment, if he tries to hurt you or me it won't help him keep the throne."

"But-"

"Please, Little Vex, try to look on the bright side. He won't be able to touch you because you'll be under my jurisdiction. Don't you want that? Or do you still want to be seen as Zeus' Personal Lady of the Night?" Hera's brown eyes poked at Adiya, she leaned against the couch's armrest.

Adiya had never seen Hera so sure of herself, it made her nervous. Hera was too stubborn for her own good and while that was good when it came to holding up certain ideals, like rejecting the suggestion of segregation amongst minor and major gods in public areas, it was also a bad thing. She remembered meeting Leto for the first time, she was a beautiful woman. Long black hair, like that of Artemis, forest green eyes, a pear-shaped body. Her robes clung to her body the way Hera's old, basil dress used to.

Something in Leto's eyes, however, were hard. They didn't hold the same sort of light Apollo's or Artemis' blue eyes held. Leto looked down on Adiya when they first met, her chin upturned the way Hera did when she was accompanied by someone who was beneath her status, which was basically everyone.

"How can you defend someone who would do anything to make your life miserable?" Leto hissed at the mortal.

Adiya looked at Leto's tawny skin. They were marred with white scars from everything she had to endure on the run from Python. Her calf had deep, piercing holes from when the beast had caught her on one of her many close calls.

Adiya closed her eyes and turned away from Hera, trying to forget Leto's harsh words that came after. She heard her couch creak and a soft pattern of footsteps made their way to her. A pair of hands rested themselves on her shoulders.

There was a great contrast between Zeus and Hera in gestures. Adiya remembered the first night she had come here, after Hera had left the throne room. Zeus had gone up to her and taken her by the shoulders. His grasp was gentle, but commanding. He didn't want to hurt her, but he needed Adiya to know he was in charge around here. Whatever he said goes. He had kissed the nape of her neck lovingly and whispered, "Don't worry about her. I won't let her hurt you, my love."

Adiya had felt so safe in his arms back then, but now, whenever Zeus touched her, she wanted to shrink away from him. She felt shameful everytime Zeus ran his hands over her body and she wanted to cry when he'd kiss her. She knew it wasn't fair to Zeus for her behavior to be this way. After all, he had saved her. But it wasn't fair to Hera either.

Hera's grip on her was possessive, but something about it made Adiya feel loved. She turned to look her in the eye. They were so close to each other. Their noses nearly touched.

She looked up at Hera, into her eyes and the world around them seemed to melt away. Her heart pounded in her chest.

Hera's lips parted slightly, her eyes scanned Adiya's face. She was always so beautiful. Her hand brushed a stray curl behind her ear and she cupped her cheek.

The two leaned close toward each other. Hera's hand slipped down to her waist and Adiya's own hands rested on Hera's chest, just above her breasts.

They stopped, lips inches away from each other, and Hera slowly retreated her head.

"Ahem, we-we should get going," she stepped away from the mortal, finally releasing her body.

"Hera-" Adiya took a step toward the goddess.

Hera took another step backwards and turned away from the mortal. She couldn't stray. She couldn't. She would not become Zeus. But Adiya was right here. They were alone. She could make Adiya hers. She would not. Adiya was Zeus' whore. But, with a little bit of time, she didn't have to be Zeus' whore. She could be hers and hers only. She would treat her far better than Zeus ever could. _Maybe, even make her_ ** _immortal_**.

Her thoughts were interrupted with Adiya's slender hand holding onto her own.

Hera looked back at the girl and analyzed her. Her eyes seemed worried. She thought she did something wrong. The young mortal hugged her arm, still looking up at her. "Hera, I- did I do s-"

Hera silenced her by holding up an open hand, "You did nothing wrong. I just-"

Adiya's hand entwined with her open one, silencing her in return. She gave her a comforting smile, "I know. I'm scared, too. But he's not here."

She reached up and cupped Hera's cheek, and the latter leaned into her palm instinctively, closing her eyes. Her hand lay on top of hers. She reopened her eyes and the two women looked each other in the eye. Brown to blue.

"Was Zeus your first?" Hera whispered.

"No, my first time wasn't very special. Kind of...violent... actually..." Adiya looked away. Hera held her face and turned her head back so she'd look her in the eye again.

"How many before him."

"Too many, none special."

"Who."

"I was sixteen, he was dating my mother, but he was such an ass. He'd beat my mom and he'd-he'd- He was my first," her voice caught.

"And the second."

"I don't know who he was."

"I'll find out," Hera escaped from Adiya's reach and made her way to the door.

"What will you do?" The mortal looked back at Hera. The goddess turned back. Her eyes were golden, Adiya felt her knees weaken and her stomach churned, she made her way to the goddess hurriedly, "No, Hera. Please. If you do anything, when you ask the council for permission they might not let you if they found out you did something to them. Please, Hera."

She reached for the goddess's wrist and gently pulled her back toward her, "Please, m'lady. If I have faith that your plan will work, then you need to refrain from hurting them. We'll make it work together."

Hera's eyes flashed with her dream. Adiya cold and limp in her arms while smoke rose around them.

Adiya led her back to the couch and away from the memory. The two sat across from each other. Adiya's eyes looked over Hera's face and the goddess felt herself ease.

"Have you ever been with anyone that wasn't Zeus?"

"No. Never."

"Would you have liked to?"

"I can't say I'm a complete saint, so yes. I have wanted to."

"How many times?"

"Four."

"Who were they?" Adiya's hand lay on top of Hera's own. The latter could feel her thumb rub against Adiya's even though she hadn't told it to.

"The first was Helios. I wanted so badly to be with him, but alas, he ended up fading in the end. Kind of tragic to think that if I would've married him, it wouldn't have lasted."

Adiya looked down at their hands, "The second?"

"Maia, Hermes mother. She had been my best friend, that was until-" Hera stopped herself, she knew she'd curse Maia's name if she continued.

Adiya nodded, "The third?"

"Danaë, she was fantastic in every way. Zeus thought so too. I could never bring myself to hurt her."

Adiya felt something in her ache. Hera's thumb made her hand feel numb, she shouldn't have asked about Hera's previous loves.

"And...and the fourth?"

Hera didn't reply. Her stare meandered from Adiya's face to her knees. Wasn't it obvious? Hera didn't think she needed to say who. Especially after all the time they've spent together.

Adiya looked up. Hera was blushing. Her ears, her cheeks, her nose, she was red all over. She wouldn't look her in the eye.

"Hera?" Adiya scooted closer. She didn't want to believe it, but she needed to hear it come out of her mouth. Hera's hand ran up Adiya's shoulder and she smiled.

"Now that's not too terribly important, is it now."

Adiya's heart fell, she looked back down at their hands. They had left each other alone. She nodded in agreement, "No. I suppose not."


	16. Chapter 16

Her ears rang. Her body stang. She couldn't see. Tears blurred her vision. She held Adiya close to her. She looked up. She could see the sky darkening with smoke. Off in the distance she could see the news vans. The sounds of sirens and screams mixed together and added onto the ringing. On her back, she could feel the eyes of the ethereal watching her. Her knees scraped with the rubble of the building. She let out a cry of pain and held tightly onto Adiya. She didn't care if Zeus saw her. She didn't care who saw her. She wanted Adiya back. _It's my fault. This is all my fault. She's gone, and it's because of me._ _Why-why-why_ _did it have to be this? Of all the ways...why like this?_

Hera let out a simian cry and she sat up in her bed. The moon's rays shone through the drapes again but it did little in lighting the room tonight. Her heart pounded in its chest. Her hair was a disheveled mess on her head and she had her hand over her stomach again. She let out a quiet sigh, the room was cold tonight giving her shivers due to her sweaty body.

She looked over at Zeus. His back was to her. Blankets covered both of their lower halves. His breathing had a steady rhythm to it. Similar to Adiya's breathing, calm and peaceful. What did he dream about that made him sleep so peacefully and deeply?

She was cold. She was tired. She wanted to see Adiya, but the blankets were so warm. She lay back down next to him. She hugged his waist. She wanted to feel the comfort of someone else. Someone she could lay with without consequences.

"Zeus," she croaked. The god didn't make a noise. "Zeus," she said a bit louder. Nothing. She placed her forehead on the small of his back and sighed. Her hand ran up and rested on his chest. She could feel his heartbeat, her hand rose with his breathing.

She was beginning to fall asleep when she felt his hand fall on top of hers. She looked up at him and she could see his eyes, they glimmered like two pieces of coal, in the dark, "Hera?"

He turned over and she separated from him, "What are you doing?"

"I, I had woken up from a nightmare."

Zeus rose a brow, "Oh?" Her cue to continue.

"I-I had dreamt that I-that I had lost the-the love of my life. It frightened me awake. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay. I didn't mean to distur-" she was cut off with him hugging her.

She took in his scent. She could never describe it, but it was pleasant. It reminded her of the times Zeus could be loving and kind. He would kiss her forehead and she'd have an arm or two wrapped around him. They'd kiss and talk. They'd never leave each other's gaze lonely. The nights were warm, they would spend them watching the big screen TV in their bedroom. Often their cuddling would turn into something more erotic and they'd find themselves naked under the sheets in the morning.

She rested her head on his chest and the two cuddled together. They hadn't slept like this in awhile. Hera smiled, her mind was at peace. She had forgotten the reason she had woken. She began to close her eyes when she felt his hand on the back of her head and he began to caress her hair lovingly. She sighed and held him tighter, taking in more of his scent.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here by your side, always," he chuckled. "Until I die."

Hera felt herself go cold. Adiya's limp body was in her arms. Metal, glass, and concrete dug into her skin, biting away at her pain. The ringing in her ears returned and all she could take in was an acrid, burning kind of smell. A mixture of vaporized, burnt plastic, electronics, paper, wood, steel and concrete, fuel, and ozone. It stung her eyes and irritated her nose. She buried her face in the mortal's neck, trying to remember what it was like to breathe in crisp air. When she opened her eyes she was back in her room.

Zeus had fallen asleep again still holding onto her. Her eyes scanned him. Until he dies, he was immortal. _That_ was the punchline. They'd be together forever, whether she liked it or not. Adiya didn't _have_ a punchline. If she dies that was the end of the joke. She had no redos. She couldn't have the luxury of just being patient enough to outlive her least favorite humans. She couldn't wait until the next audience came in and gave her a second chance with the joke.

Whatever it was Hera dreamed of, it was a bad omen.

But...

What if it wasn't? Dreams often had meanings to them. Maybe it was one of those things that was symbolic in a depressing way. She stretched up and kissed Zeus tenderly on the lips and smiled. She'd go with Morpheus. Ask him about it. If anything, she could make her immortal. She wouldn't ask the council for permission, she'll just take her. Zeus had done it. Artemis does it all the time, to this day.

She just needed to make sure Adiya stayed a virgin, just enough time to figure out whether immortality was a way out of the situation. Just enough time to figure out whether she needed diplomacy or impulsiveness to solve the problem. She began to formulate a plan to see how she'd get Adoya to spring and everything that was to happen after.

Once she had a solid idea she began to slip out of Zeus' arms when she felt them tighten around her. She looked up at him and his eyes had opened again, "Where are you going this time?"

She froze. Did he know? Had he known since the first day? She opened her mouth to say something in her defense but was cut off with his own dialogue, "Everytime you and I are like this. You and I are together. You leave. Why? Lately, you've been leaving me stranded. Are you trying to give me a taste of spitefulness? What _you_ feel? I don't know what you're doing, but it's pissing me off."

Hera looked up at him, stupefied. Really? When she's not trying she makes him _jealous_? What kind of fuckery was that?

"Do you still love me?" He asked. Hera went silent. She could only nod.

"I don't believe you."

"I do, Zeus. I swear it. I do."

"I don't believe you," his embrace loosened.

She felt her heart begin to constrict. She was close to tears. Why did she care? He had done so many things. She had Adiya now. Why did she care? She took in his fading scent again and remembered the good he had done when he was with her and her only. She didn't want to forget the few moments of happiness she had gotten from her life as queen. Especially when most of them involved him.

She held onto his shirt tightly and pressed herself on him, "I do care. I do. I love you. Please believe me. Please."

He looked her in the eyes. She felt herself shrink under his gaze but she held it. Her bottom lip quivered. Something inside her was panicking, it wasn't ready to lose two people she had learned to care for. She was ready to drop the gaze when she realized that it was probably to late to convince him when he had pulled her closer. He kissed her.

It was passionate. It made her feel hot. She forgot about the dream. Her previous plan. They both seemed to have forgotten that across the hall there was a mortal guest.

He lay her on her back and continued to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her waist closer to his. She felt his lips trace her jawline. Down her neck.

She shivered. He knew her too damn well. He lingered on her neck, slowly driving her out of her mind. She felt his hand wander from her waist to her bottom and she jumped when she felt him squeeze.

She tilted her head back in pleasure as he went lower. She moaned loudly as his mouth worked on her, entangling her fingers within his hair, she pleaded him to give her release.

And he did, finally rearing up over her and thrusting into her welcoming body. He kissed her deeply and with the combination of his thrusts and her tightening around him in pleasure he was sent over the edge.

In the morning they were still together in union. The sun's rays lit the room. Hera woke first. She found Zeus still on top. His head resting on her breasts one hand over the right nipple.

She sighed. That's when she remembered Adiya. She looked towards the door. Had she heard? Did she sleep through it? Hopefully she hadn't heard Zeus' name being called. Hera still had plans for her. Although sleeping with Zeus was incidental, maybe it'll make her scheme easier to play out.

She felt Zeus stir. She looked down at him. He smiled up at her sleepily, "Good morning, wife."

Hera returned the smile, "Husband."

He reached up and kissed her just as passionately as the night before, his fingers playing with the nipple they found underneath then. She knew him well enough to know that he wasn't done. It would be another hour before the two separated again.

 _She can wait,_ she thought. _There are more pending matters at the moment._

 **** ** _o0o_** ****

Adiya walked through Hera's garden. All the plants within seemed to slink away from her, leaning towards the mansion behind her. Adiya smiled as she looked up at the window of the master bedroom. Hera hadn't visited her last night, maybe she didn't have another nightmare last night.

She hadn't run into her in the hallway in the morning. Maybe Hera was sleeping in for once. Fates knew she needed the extra sleep.

She continued strolling through the gardens. Every now and then she'd water the plants with a nearby hose. She eventually made her way back to the fountain and sat on its edge looking into the water at all the coins inside. She felt strange. Like she wasn't alone. She looked up past the fountain down a path that led to the front gate. A figure stood there, blocking the exit.

"Hey!" She called to them.

The figure turned to look at her. It was a young man. He had on a clamide, a form of cape that she commonly saw Hermes wear from time to time or in very old pictures and paintings. He made his way to her and Adiya felt a sense of danger, but she couldn't leave. She had been frozen in place. The man approached her. He was handsome. He had curly brown hair and sun-kissed skin. His red lips were plump and they were pulled into a frown. His eyes entranced her. They were purple, like the grapes she saw growing in Dionysus' vineyard.

He approached her and she couldn't run. He seemed upset. He looked her up and down and scoffed, "You don't seem any different from his usual lot he picks from. What makes you so special? Living amongst the two like if you were their progeny. Didn't Leto warn you not to let it get to your head? Do you think you're actually _important_."

Adiya went red. She wanted to speak, but her voice had run. He chuckled and cupped her chin, "From one lover to another. He'll forget about you as soon as the next person with a pretty face comes along. You'll be cast aside. The only reason Hera 'likes' you is because she has to. Trust me. She'll make you a trophy on her wall when Zeus forgets you exist."

Adiya wanted to scream. She wanted to say it wasn't true. Who was this person to say what Hera's intentions were. That's when she noticed his bare arm. A long, deep scar ran down it. It was jagged. It traced from his forearm to his inner wrist. He had caught her gaze. She heard him chuckle, "I tell you from experience. She did this once Zeus ran off after Elektra. This is only the surface of what she's done to _me_. We all have our scars. We all have our stories. Call me when you finally get yours."

He began to turn away and suddenly Adiya's voice came back to her, "That's not true! She cares about me!"

He stopped to look at her, "Why? Because she _talks_ to you?"

"She does! She's given me presents for my birthdays. She and I have visited the world together. She tells me her thoughts, her secrets, she confides in me and she let's me confide in her! She uses the gifts I give her! She wears the dress and sandals I've bought her! She's a wonderful person! She's kind, caring, thoughtful, intelligent. She's beautiful. It's a shame Zeus can't remember that when he's off with people like me, or you."

The young man laughed. It echoed throughout the garden and the plants seemed to tremble with fear or anger or maybe both. His laugh bounced off the wall towards Adiya and she felt her knees become weak.

"You sound like you're in love with her," he looked her in the eye. Adiya held his gaze, she could feel herself go red with embarrassment. He stopped laughing, he seemed to understand.

"How cruel. At least I got a physical torment. But you. That's what makes you special. She had something in mind for you. An example," his eyes were no longer stony. They had melted into a pool of pity. "She plans to break you, you poor thing. At least I had the privilege of her touching me, but you. You'll only be deprived of such an honor. Eventually, you'll die, knowing Hera never wanted you. She only wanted to see you suffer as she dangled herself in front of you. I think I'd prefer the physicality of her cruelty compared to what she's giving you. Welcome to the club."

He turned back around and made his way out of the garden, and then he stopped. He looked back at her and added, "Pray that it won't be eternal, dear mortal."


	17. Chapter 17

**_Pray that it won't be eternal, dear mortal._**

"Just step in, if you want I can help you bathe. I know you're used to showers and such."

"Why do I need to do this?"

 ** _Pray..._**

"Well if you're going to serve me you need to be chaste."

"And then what happens after?"

 ** _That it won't be eternal..._**

"And then we'll go to the council. Request for your transition into my handmaiden."

"I'll be immortal?"

 ** _. . ._**

Adiya looked over at Hera with unsure eyes. Her hand gripped the bath robe so tightly her knuckles turned white. Hera didn't seem to notice. She stepped into the river excitedly and held her hand out to her, "C'mon then, Little Vex!"

Adiya bit her lip, unsure whether to take her hand, "Do I have to be immortal?"

Hera rolled her eyes, "Well of course. You can't serve the queen of the gods as a mortal. Unless you become a priestess

"I don't know about this Hera..."

The queen stepped out of the water. She walked over to the mortal girl and held her hand, "I understand, you're nervous. Immortality isn't something to trifle with. But it's truly a wonder. Besides, you'll have me for all eternity."

Adiya looked over at the water. If she went in she'd start something she might not ever be able to get out of.

"Come on. Don't you trust me?"

The mortal looked back at the goddess. They shared an intense gaze with each other. Hera's eyes glowed in the sun and an excited smile lay on her face. It wasn't forced. It wasn't sadistic. It was natural. She was so beautiful when she smiled. Adiya took her hand.

The two stepped into the river together.

 ** _~o0o~_**

Hera poured a cupful of water over the mortal's head. She had a full view of Adiya. Her breasts were poorly hidden under the water, and when the trickle of water would fall from the cup Hera was holding her nipples would be exposed. Hera was glad she wasn't a man. She would have some serious explaining to do if she were. "Hera, where are we?" Adiya asked.

"Kanathos," Hera replied. She grabbed a bottle of shampoo and gently massaged the sweet-smelling liquid into her hair.

"You would come here annually, right? To renew your virginity?" Adiya's eyes were beginning to close. The spring was peaceful. A small waterfall trickled nearby, and soft rays of sun shone down on the spot where she and Hera had decided to sit. Adiya wished she could stay like this, the sun warming her exposed skin, the water lulling her body, and Hera. Hera was the best part of this place. If they were to be together for eternity, she would want to be here with her for eternity.

Hera didn't answer. Something about Adiya's hair caught her eye. When she lifted her hand she could see faint traces of what seemed like watery yellow paint. She looked at Adiya's hair and could see its colour fading. The water around them began to adopt faint traces of yellow, "Do you dye your hair?"

Adiya's eyes flew open, "What?"

"Do you dye your hair?"

"I, uh, yeah. I, I do."

"I thought you were naturally blonde this entire time."

"Oh, no. I'm, I'm not. I was hoping to take the secret to my grave, but-"

"Why do you dye your hair?" Hera shifted in her seat so she and Adiya were facing each other.

Adiya looked away from the goddess's eyes. She stared at Hera's chest. The goddess wasn't completely nude like Adiya, Hera wore a thin, silk gown which floated around her thighs. Her brown hair was pulled up into a loose bun. Adiya gulped. She was glad the water was there to cool her off. She could see Hera's breasts poking through the cloth, and she felt her neck go red, "I, uh, I-I remember wanting to be like the other girls. Fair and delicate. I felt like a fish out of water. All the kids around me were white with blue eyes and blonde hair. I was the only brown skinned kid there. I've had it dyed blonde for as far as I can remember."

"Your parents didn't say anything?"

"Mom and Dad were separated by then."

"Let me guess, your mother allowed a six year old child to dye her hair an unnatural color because she hated her daughter's appearance."

"I was four actually."

"Your mother is a bloody sociopath. If you tell me you're wearing contact lenses I will condemn her to Tartarus."

"No, no. I inherited my dad's eyes. If my mom ever complimented me, which was rare, they'd always be about my eyes."

Adiya looked away from Hera and the latter gave a sigh. The goddess scanned Adiya's face. She was near tears. Hera could feel her heart break, she hated seeing her like this. She cupped the girl's chin and forced her to share her gaze, "Your mother, and excuse me for saying this, but your mother is one of the worst human beings I have ever had the displeasure to meet. Anything she's ever told you, pay no mind to it. As for this?" She gently caressed Adiya's hair and shook her own head lightly, "You don't need it. Come, let me take the dye off. I want to know what you look like without it."

The mortal's eyes were reluctant to give in to Hera's hard gaze. After a bit of silent persuasion, Adiya slunk back toward Hera's body, in between her legs, her back facing her. Hera got to work determined to cleanse this girl head-to-toe from all impurities. By the time Hera was done, the sun was beginning to hide behind the hills. Hera admired Adiya's hair. It was a dark and silky brown that cascaded down her back. She had Adiya shift positions so the two faced each other again. The mortal's knees were bent underneath her, in between Hera's thighs.

It was as if Hera was staring at Adiya again for the first time, Her brown hair framed her round face and her cheeks were red from embarrassment. Adiya's eyes avoided Hera's. Her usually plump lips were pulled into a thin line awaiting the non-existent criticism. Hera cupped her hand gently, "Look at me."

Adiya looked up at her. Hera's eyes glistened and her lips were slightly parted, "You are the most beautiful of all of Zeus' conquests." Adiya's face flushed and Hera felt herself go giddy at the sight.

The two began to inch closer. Adiya shook her head as she rested her hands on Hera's arms, "That's not true."

"Why not?" Hera's hand held Adiya's waist.

"Because I think that title is solely yours," Adiya's hands travelled Hera's arms up and around her neck.

"Once upon a time I would've agreed," Hera's eyes stayed glued to Adiya's own. Her face was level with the mortal's breasts and this was all she could do to keep herself from taking one of them.

"I'll always think so. Whether you hate me, or not."

"I don't understand how I could have ever hated you."

"It's easy to see why."

"But I didn't even give you a chance."

"Within reason."

Adiya's head had lowered and her legs were on either side of Hera's body. Hera's free hand had reached up to hold the back of Adiya's head, her fingers entangling themselves within the mortal's wet locks. Their lips were inches apart and they had both begun to shut their eyes in anticipation. Hera heard what sounded like a branch snapping and opened her eyes.

She looked past Adiya and saw a pair of eyes staring from the bushes. She immediately sat up and gently placed Adiya next to her. She looked back at the bushes and in a hard but obviously flustered voice called, "Who's there."

The bushes rustled and they heard what sounded like a pattern of footsteps. Hera jumped up and rushed to the other side of the river, but by the time she reached it they were gone. Hera sighed, "We have to get going. Remember, what I told you, Little Vex."

"Who was that?" Adiya began to stand.

"I don't know. Get dressed."

"Hera-"

"What do you want," Hera hissed at her. She had been walking back to where they came from. She turned on Adiya sharply. She gave Adiya a glare and the other stepped away.

"I-I just wanted to know who-"

"I don't know! Do you think I would be in such a rush to leave if I had caught them!? Use some damn common sense!" Hera snapped. Adiya flinched and looked down at the water. Hera watched her intently and felt her insides squirm uncomfortably. She gave a soft sigh and walked back toward the mortal. She held her forearms and her thumbs rubbed against her skin, "I-I'm sorry. I just- Listen, I just don't want to trip at the finish line. We've made it this far. I don't want anything to screw this up."

"I understand," she started to walk past Hera and the latter sighed. She turned around and grabbed her wrist, "Don't do this."

"Do what?"

"This. I do it to Zeus all the time. Please look at me," Adiya could hear what sounded like desperateness in her voice. She gave a tentative turn of the head and looked at Hera out of the corner of her eye. "Please, Little Vex."

Adiya turned to look at her fully, "You've never called me by my name."

"What?"

"You've never called me by my name. Why is that? It's always 'Little Vex' or some other name but never 'Adiya'. Why is that?"

Hera stayed quiet. She wasn't sure exactly how to respond. Quite frankly, Hera had never even said her name when she was in private or with Zeus. Back then, Hera would avoid using the name because she felt it to be sacrilege on her tongue. Now, she had no excuse. Maybe it was a habit? Old habits die hard is what Zeus always says.

Adiya cupped Hera's face and the two shared a tense gaze, "Say it. Say my name. At least once. That would be enough."

Hera rested her hands over Adiya's and her lips parted slighted. Her voice caught in her throat, "A-Ad-" Why couldn't she say it? She cleared her throat but the name stayed there. Hera's chest rose with panic. Her body began to tremble and her knees turned to jelly. Why couldn't she say her name?

"I-I can't-" Hera looked away shamefully. "Why not? Hera, I know what you feel. Why can't you just-"  
Adiya stopped talking. She noticed Hera's eyes begin to glaze over with tears. Suddenly she understood. She wasn't ready. Adiya sighed. Why did the gods always have to be so...complicated? She looked away from her and nodded, "I'll get dressed."

She pushed past Hera who turned in a fit of panic, "Love-"

"No. Not now. Not now."

"Little Vex, please! Don't-" Adiya turned to give her a sharp glare and Hera stopped in her tracks. There was something in Adiya's eyes that scared Hera. There was potential in there. A glimmer of power that shined through. Hera took a step back.

Adiya gave a frustrated sigh and turned her back to Hera again, "He was right. You are just teasing me."

"H-he? What do you mean by he?"

"Nobody."

"I don't want to fight again. Tell me. Who is 'he'? Was it Zeus?"

"No. Some guy. He had purple eyes, he had on a clamide. Brown, curly hair. Brown skin."

"Scar on his arm?" Hera straightened her back. She couldn't believe this. The little creature wasn't even a main fling of Zeus' anymore and Ganymede was still making her life into a comedy show.

"Yeah. He told me you did that to him. That you would try hurting me too. I see what he meant," Adiya stepped out and slipped on her robe.  
Hera waded out of the water after her, "You're being ridiculous. You're taking the opinion of someone who's not even a third party in this and has absolutely nothing to do with us. Why would you base how I feel because of someone else's opinions and thoughts that they have about me? I care about you. I care more than I wish I did. Would you look at me, dammit!?"

Adiya looked back toward the goddess. Her eyes were filled with tears again but Hera didn't let it bother her, "I need you to understand that I can be in major trouble if news of this gets out or if the plan doesn't go accordingly. So I need you to show me more faith and respect than you currently are. The only opinion that matters about me and the relationship I have with you is the opinion that you and I hold. I'm sorry I can't say your name. I really am sorry. I wish I could tell you why I can't but even _I_ don't understand why. But I swear on the Styx that I would never hurt you deliberately. As I've said before. I care about you."

The two women stared at each other in the eye. Eventually Adiya caved and hugged her, "I'm sorry. It's just..the timing. He said you were just waiting to turn on me and to hope that it wouldn't be for all eternity. Then we come here and you lead me on and you can't even say my name without breaking down. I just-I know you wouldn't hurt me on purpose. Let's just… can we? I just wanna go home. "

Hera rubbed her back and kissed her neck, "Love, me wanting to make you immortal has nothing to do with me wanting to make you suffer. All the contrary, if I make you immortal I feel like I'll have better control in your safety. You don't need to worry."  
They stayed together a little while longer and they finally separated. Hera went to pick up her things and led Adiya back to Olympus.

Once on the mountain, Hera looked around at the other gods defensively. No one gave them suspicious glances. No one paid them any mind really. They all continued on their way.

Eventually they were back in Adiya's bedroom. The two were changing out of their wet clothes and into dry ones. It was the first time they had both been naked in front of each other. They blushed, gave a nervous giggle, and turned away from each other to give themselves privacy. Hera's heart was racing. She wanted her. She had never wanted something so badly in her life. Before she could turn toward the mortal she felt arms wrap around her. She could feel Adiya press her breasts against her bareback and Hera felt herself go warm again, "What are you up to this time, Little Vex?"

"Nothing, I just want to...cuddle."

"Let me change first."

"No, we both have the same limbs and parts. There's nothing to be ashamed of. Please? For me? Just this once," Adiya rested her head on Hera's back and the latter gave a sigh. "You're going to get us in trouble."

"We're not doing anything. We're just hanging out in our birthday suits. How's the bedroom any different than a sauna."

Hera gave a chuckle and waved her hand. They heard the door lock and Adiya took it as her cue. She took Hera's hand and led the goddess over to the bed. Hera felt her knees start to shake and her breathing constricted. If Adiya was trying to get her to sleep with her Hera wasn't ready. She didn't have a plan to cover it up in case someone walked in. What if Zeus walked in? What if he just saw them like this? Her mind wasn't functioning properly to come up with something on the fly. Hera could feel herself become nauseous. She tried to pull her hand away but her body just didn't have the strength. Adiya's grip started feeling cold. The numbness in her hand began to spread and her vision began to darken. The couldn't. Zeus would find them. Adiya would get hurt. She couldn't let her get hurt. She couldn't. She couldn't.

She shut her eyes and was about to faint when the feeling returned in her body again. She opened her eyes and saw Adiya laying down. She left a spot for Hera and patted it and then turned over to reach for the remote in her nightstand. She turned the TV and gave her no more attention.

Hera slowly got into bed with her and Adiya shifted positions so Hera's arm rested comfortably under her head. Her heart was still racing, but she felt at ease. The more relaxed she became, the more generous her touch was. Hera fingers lightly traced Adiya's arm and the latter started to receive goosebumps and give small giggles. They stayed this way, watching TV together. Eventually when they fell asleep, Hera's arm cradled Adiya's waist and Adiya cradled Hera's head.


	18. Chapter 18

Hera woke in Adiya's bed the next morning. She blinked a couple times as the morning rays fell through the curtains into the room. She looked around the room, finally resting her eyes on the woman laying next to her. Hera smiled in admiration and she hugged Adiya tighter. Her nose twitched every now and then and her skin seemed to glow in the morning light. Her hair shined beautifully and cascaded all around her pillow. She leaned up and kissed her cheek, inch by inch making her way down until she kissed the side of her breasts. She stopped there noticing her behaviour and began to sit up. That's when she realized something.

She fell asleep. She hadn't gone to her bed at all last night nor had she seen Zeus at all yesterday since their morning together.

And that pervert hiding in the bushes.

If that person had it out for Hera, the moment she stepped out of this room Zeus would have her head. She could already hear him. Accusing her of cheating. Calling her a whore. His fists landing on her body and his foot kicking her back when she finally collapses to the floor. The convulsions that would overcome her body when he'd strike her with a bolt. She closed her eyes. She steadied her breathing. She stood and dressed herself.

Zeus would have the upper hand again. If that were the case she needed to take care of Adiya now. As she combed her hair she saw Adiya stir in the vanity. She turned to look at her as Adiya sat up in her bed. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and gave a soft smile, "Good morning, Hera. It's nice to see you."

"Good morning. You look lovely in the mornings," Hera returned a smile. She wouldn't stress Adiya. The last thing she wanted was to upset her. She walked back to the bed and sat on the side kissing Adiya's forehead tenderly, "What would you like for breakfast?"

"Waffles and coffee, please."

Hera nodded and made her way out of the room, "Very well, I'll see you downstairs."

Hera peeked the door open, slipped out, and closed it. She gave a terrified sigh as she felt her chest become heavy again. Her breathing quickened her vision darkened. Her body wanted to collapse. Zeus will know. Even if news hadn't reached him. He'll know. She just knew he would. Would he hurt Adiya? Send her away? Would he force her own hand on her?

Hera's back slid down the door and she hugged herself. She began to hyperventilate and her throat stung as her eyes began to fill with tears. She and Adiya had never touched each other in a promiscuous way before. At least, not with the intent to sleep with each other. The only intimate thing they'd ever done was bathing and falling asleep together naked. Why was she so nervous about a damn sleepover? They didn't do anything wrong. But Zeus. Zeus wouldn't understand. Nobody on this mountain would. They'd label her as a hypocrite. They'd support Zeus, and if the news got out of another beating not even Ares would help her. They'd think she'd gone soft or worse.

She felt a tear slide down her cheek and her breath hitched. She began to tremble and her face flushed. In retaliation, she flicked the tear away and stood shakily. Just play it cool. Play it cool and deny the accusations. If she can get Apollo there she'd be able to prove her innocence. Just play it cool.

She walked downstairs to the kitchen and asked the nymphs inside to make a cup of tea and coffee. She ordered Adiya's waffles and her eggs. She stepped outside for some fresh air as breakfast was being prepared. The sky was overcast. There were faints signs of a drizzle. The flowers and trees turned toward her. They followed her as she walked to the fountain and bent slightly as she sat and hunched over, resting her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands.

The world had no colour today. It seemed bleak and dull. She blinked to try and get it to return to it's normal saturation but her eyes began to sting instead. She was so tired. Her chest still held a heaviness to her that made her feel hopeless. What if immortality wasn't a big gift? What if she was condemning Adiya? Hera had felt one thing for the majority of her lifetime. Alone. She didn't want her to go. through the same. In fact, Hera felt distress right now. Why did she still feel this way? The most beautiful, magnificent person she had ever met was upstairs in her bedroom and yet, thinking about Adiya in that moment made her upset. The thought that Hera couldn't even say her name pissed her off and confused her. She growled and looked at her reflection in the water. What was wrong with her?

 _"_ Make up your mind! Do you hate her? _"_

 _No, I love her._

 _"_ Then why can't you say her name, you numpty!"

 _If I knew I would fix it, dumbass!_

"Then figure it out, you ninny! I'm not about to take the blame for your incompetence!" Hera glared at her reflection. Then she realized the ridiculousness of the situation and turned away returning to her previous position. She hid her face in her hands and groaned, "I'm losing it."

"I'd say you _already_ lost it."

Hera immediately sat up straight and dropped her hands to her lap, clasping them together. She tried to recreate her veneer expression, but it was difficult to look sane after you just finished talking to yourself. She looked up at Artemis who stood at the gate of her garden. "May I?" She asked. "I need to speak with you."

Hera waved her hand and nodded. Talk about what? Oh gods, did she know? Was it her who spotted them? Or was this about something else? Whatever it was, if it was coming from Artemis it couldn't be good. Artemis stepped in. Her hair was done in its usual braid but she had a black top and combat pants. She tromped through the garden in matching combat boots and sat next to Hera. The two shared a gaze and Hera slowly tilted her head to the side, "Yes? What is it?"

"I saw you. You and her. Together at the river. Did you really think you'd be able to hide something like that, hypocrite?"


	19. Chapter 19

"Artemis, I do-"

"Don't you dare try to worm yourself out of this. I have every reason to tell _him_. How long?"

"She and I haven't-"

" _ **How long.**_ "

Hera felt the weight in her chest become heavier, her right leg began to bounce and she placed a hand on it to keep it still. Her throat stang and she could feel her eyes start to brim with tears, "Artemis. There's nothing between us. It was a moment of weakness-"

"Don't give me that bullshit. You tormented my mother, you tormented Apollo, you tormented _me._ Don't you dare give me an excuse _he_ would use. Tell me the truth."

"I am. She and I, we aren't doing anything. We aren't _anything._ Have your brother here, I'll tell you what I am telling you right now. He will vouch for me."

"Having my brother here to prove your innocence will make your guilt even more obvious, but fine. If you insist. I want you to answer me one thing. Do you hold any form of ill will against her?" Artemis' gaze wouldn't let Hera's go. Hera gave a deep sigh and steadied her posture, "Artemis. I only want what's best for her."

"Why did you bring her to Kanathos?"

"You said only one question."

"Well now I have more. I am willing to drop the subject only if you answer my questions. Now answer."

"Artemis, watch that tone," Hera was beginning to lose control, her hand that rested on her quivering leg gripped her dress. She was beginning to tremble and she could feel her body begin to heat up. The world began to darken around her. Looking at Artemis right now, hearing her speak to her the way she was made her feel suffocated. She needed to regain control, by whatever means necessary.

Artemis hissed at her, "No! Hera you're in the wrong right now! I could tell Zeus and ruin your life! So watch _your_ tone with me! I like Adiya. She's a nice girl and she deserves more than whatever you can give her. I will not let you hurt her, Hera. I won't-"

 _ **"I am enough!"**_ Hera's voice cracked and her eyes brimmed with overflowing tears. She turned red and her body began to shake. Overhead the sky became cloudy. Thunder rumbled and Artemis flinched in response but quickly regained her composure. Her cold eyes analyzed Hera. Hera's brown eyes had a faint golden glow to them but her sclera was turning red due to the tears trapped within them and her hair swept up and flew around her as the wind began to pick up. Artemis gave Hera a puzzled look. She tilted her head at her and scowled. Then she realized what Hera meant and why. She scoffed at her and the latter finally registered what she had said. Hera looked away and her composure finally gave in. She hunched over and she rested her elbows on her knees and hugged herself.

Artemis continued to stare at her stepmother. She walked in front of her and crouched so they were eye level. Her voice became softer, but her eyes remained cold as she repeated, "Why did you bring her to Kanathos?"

Hera's eyes scanned Artemis' face. The wind gave a cold draft of air and died away. Well, this was what she wanted, no? It was now or never. Might as well use this as a platform for her plan, "We were at the river to regain her virginity so we could request her transition into my handmaiden."

"Why would you want her?"

"She's starting to feel used by Zeus. She's a good friend of mine. I care about her. I only want what's best-"

"What _you_ think is best, and what she _really_ needs are two completely different motivations."

"Artemis, you came here to hear _my_ thoughts and reasoning behind my actions. I respectfully ask you to remain quiet," Hera's shoulders straightened and her voice was commanding once again but not in the voice Artemis had become accustomed to. She felt unnerved. Seeing Hera in anything less than a regal façade. Being able to equate her voice with a gentle command from her own mother. Artemis almost wanted to pity her, but she knew better. This woman tormented her and Apollo for years due to a factor that was out of their control. Hearing Hera speak with what Artemis could only take as a mock made her angry. She wanted to scream at Hera. Yell at her. She wanted to pull her hair and humiliate her the way Hera would do to her when she was young, but she wouldn't. She hated being the bigger person but sometimes that's all you needed to take revenge on someone so horrible. So she kept quiet and she nodded at the woman before her to continue.

Hera took a deep breath to calm down and slowly began to regain her composure, "She and I. We've become quite close over the years. I would never wish her any ill will. This act of celibacy I'm asking her to perform, it's truly what I believe is best for her." Artemis opened her mouth to retaliate but Hera held up a gentle hand and silenced her, "It may not be in your eyes, but you don't know what that poor girl has gone through. I- Artemis, I know I haven't treated you with the respect you deserve. I only want to give her the best, and I could really use an ally in order to reach that goal. Please, for her."

Hera and Artemis shared a lengthy gaze. Artemis saw a strange shimmer of light in Hera's eyes. They unnerved her, but her words seemed genuine. She knew Adiya had a talent in showing the hidden side of a person's identity, but she never thought this would be the effect for Hera. All the contrary, she always thought she'd see a more despicable and perhaps even terrifying side of her stepmother. She never thought she'd be kneeling before her in her garden actually considering to help her with her plan.

"I'll give you a chance, but the moment I see foul play I'll make sure the council tears you apart. I'm warning you," Artemis began to stand. Hera's eyes followed her. She felt lightheaded, she wanted to throw up. Artemis supported her. Why didn't she feel better?

She continued to steady her breathing as she watched Artemis leave the garden.

 _ **~o0o~**_

Aphrodite strolled through The Square. She was a tall, slender woman with long, golden hair and blue eyes. She had a small mole underneath her right eye and her skin had begun to turn dark as of late, and she was delighted. By her side walked her son, Eros. He had his mother's sparkling blue eyes, but instead he possessed his father's black hair. His skin was getting lighter but he had started to grow a bit of stubble on his face. His shimmering, white wings were folded across his back.

The other gods stared and many swooned as they passed by. She heard a small child snicker and whisper the words, "Dumb blonde." Eros' ruffled his wings, and began to approach them but Aphrodite placed a gentle arm on his chest.

They continued on their way and made it to the dance hall where Apollo was practicing with the muses for their upcoming event. Hera's birthday was around the corner once again. They only ever sang random songs that gods would request for, but lately, Hera had begun to request performances from the muses. Aphrodite knew it was due to the fact that Adiya liked to watch them dance. Since it was Adiya who loved them, Hera had to have them dance for her events.

Aphrodite gave a gentle smile as she sat at the window seat watching the nine goddesses dance in unison. Hera would do anything just to see the mortal smile. Apollo made his way over to the gods of love and sat next to Aphrodite. He wore a white muscle shirt today with tights. He chugged a bottle of nectar and she watched while the sweat on his skin fled down his body. He let out a satisfied sigh as he looked over at Aphrodite.

He looked her up and down and chuckled, "I see the mortals are beginning to value the 'Valley Girl' look."

"Really? I didn't notice," she gave a mischievous smile and leaned on him. "Where's Hermes?"

"Running some errands for Zeus. Speaking of, he was looking for Adiya earlier. Have you seen her? I haven't seen her since...two days ago actually."

"I'm sure she's with Hera. Why?"

Apollo shrugged and Aphrodite shifted to look at him. Apollo began to dry himself with a small towel. He looked up momentarily at the muses and tilted his head, "Polymnia, it's left-left-right and then spin. Zeus probably called for her?"

Aphrodite tensed. Zeus hadn't called for Adiya in 3 or 4 months. If Adiya responded to a summon now her relationship with Hera would never reach its full potential. Last night she could feel the lust the goddess and mortal held for each other and she was impressed with the amount of self-restraint they had. Well, sexual self-restraint.

"Are you sure? Maybe she was just getting mail?" She rose a hopeful eyebrow and Apollo shrugged. "I don't know, Dite. Hermes isn't exactly comfortable having to be the one fetching Zeus' mistress and he didn't seem too happy looking for her now. Polymnia! Left-left-right-spin! Come on!"

Aphrodite looked around the hall and made her way out of the room. Eros followed but she held up a hand, "No. Don't follow. You're free for the rest of the day."

"But mother-!"

"Dite where you off to?" Apollo stood and watched as Aphrodite left the building.

Aphrodite head uphill. She had started reaching the residential area of Olympus when a wave of discomfort washed over her. She felt pain and nausea. Aphrodite crumpled to her knees and held her lower stomach. Her hand immediately went to cover her mouth so as to stifle the noises that escaped from her and her eyes began to stream with unwarranted tears. He wouldn't. He couldn't have.

She swallowed the bile in her throat and said to herself the only thing that came to mind, "You poor thing."


	20. Chapter 20

**Warning:** **This chapter contains themes of sexual trauma that may be upsetting for some readers.**

 _ **~o0o~**_

Adiya stepped out of the shower, dabbing her face with a towel. She watched her reflection in the mirror as she wrapped the towel around her. She woke with a strange feeling in her gut today. She was excited about her transition into Hera's handmaiden, but there was an ominous, underlying feeling that came along with it. Her stomach turned and she swallowed the bile in her throat that rose for seemingly no reason.

She looked through her drawers for her hairbrush, keeping a hand on her towel to hold it up. She began to hum as she finally found it and began to brush her hair. She disentangled her now auburn hair and lathered herself in moisturizer. She stepped out of the restroom and out into her room. She changed into a pink dress Hera gave her a few weeks back. She gave a happy smile. Despite the inauspicious feeling in her gut, she tried to convince herself it'd be a good day.

Hera had woken her when she kissed her neck, and she wished the queen would've continued. She loved the kiss on the forehead she received from Hera and her stomach filled with butterflies at the memory of her and Hera cuddling together last night.

She walked over to the window ready to face the day when she looked down at the garden. Hera sat at the fountain, Artemis kneeled in front of her. She continued to watch as the two exchanged words and the latter finally left. Hera seemed relieved but something about her posture. It wasn't _Hera_. When Hera hugged herself and slumped over onto her legs Adiya decided to check on her.

She turned toward her bed and pulled out a pair of flip flops. She slipped them on and walked toward the door. When she opened it Zeus stood on the other side.

"There you are! Adiya, I've been searching everywhere for you, dear," he stepped into her room and she took a step back. "Where have you been?"

"Hera and I went down to the mortal world. I wanted to visit Israel and she took me. Can we catch up later? I need to go check on her," she began walking toward the exit but Zeus blocked her way.

"Now hold on. You and her have been spending a lot of time together. I think she'll survive a few more minutes. Sit. Sit. Let's talk," Zeus sat on the white couch in the room and patted the seat next to him.

"Zeus, Hera doesn't feel well. I really should go check."

"Oh, what's a few minutes to eternity? Come on. Just two minutes."

"Zeus, please...any other time, but she needs me right now. She's your wife. I thought _you_ of all people would understand," Adiya raised a brow. She was becoming uncomfortable. She didn't like how persistent Zeus was being in her staying here with him. As she said these final words she was hoping Zeus would get the memo and leave. He only stared back at her blankly. Then he nodded and he looked around the room out stretching his arms, "Where is she?"

Adiya shifted her feet, "Outside. She's in her garden."

Zeus stood, "Will it make you feel better if I went to speak with her?"

"I mean-"

"Yes or no? I can see the two of you have grown quite close over the years. If anything I'll send her to you. The two of you seem to know how to, ah, comfort each other better than I do."

"I- really?" Adiya looked up at him and he gave a gentle nod. He rubbed her shoulders and kissed her cheek. "Wait up here, alright? I'll come to get you and let you know what was wrong or she'll come up to talk with you."

Zeus began to leave and Adiya could feel herself breathe again. She sat at the window sill and watched Hera outside. Minutes later Zeus joined her. Adiya could hear the muffled sound of Zeus' voice and Hera standing out of respect. The two spending a couple minutes in tense conversation and Hera finally giving him a nod. Adiya saw Zeus say something and Hera look up at him and smile. The two embraced and Hera walked inside. Zeus looked up at Adiya's bedroom window, he held a hand up to her for her to wait there and walked in after Hera.

Minutes later there was a knock at the door. "It's open," she called. Adiya turned in her seat as she watched the door open.

"Adiya?" Hera walked in. Adiya walked forward toward her, "What is it? What's wrong?"

Hera shook her head and gave her a smile, "No. Nothing, love. I'm just tired from yesterday. I'm sorry for making you worry."

"But Zeus said he'd send you up here if you wanted to talk with me."

"I know. He told me I could come up here. I just-I just wanted to come up here for a moment to get a breather. He was just a bit persistent in his questions and he made me nervous and- I'm ranting."

Adiya giggled, "It's okay. You're cute when you ramble."

Hera turned red. She furrowed her eyebrows together, "Really? You think that?"

Adiya nodded and smiled, "I do."

"I-I don't know what to say, thank you? Either way we should get going downstairs. Zeus is waiting for us to eat breakfast," Hera began to turn away and Adiya reached for her. "No. No. A few minutes. I want to make sure you're really okay. You seem anxious."

"Do I?" Hera turned back with a raised eyebrow. Adiya nodded and stepped forward. She held her hand and kissed the back of it, "Yeah. Sit down. Relax. Breathe. You know you don't have to put up a big act for me. Unwind."

Hera looked up at the couch and then back at Adiya. She walked over to the couch and sat. She looked up at Adiya curiously. The mortal noticed Hera was getting redder, she walked over to the fan in the corner and turned it on, "Rather hot today, no?"

"Yes, it is."

"So, uh, what did- what did Zeus tell you?"

"He asked me what was wrong. He insisted I tell him an answer even though I was really just tired. I'm alright, love. I promise," Hera leaned forward and gave her a smile.

Adiya wasn't convinced. She kneeled in front of her the same way Artemis had earlier. She cupped Hera's cheek, "Hera. You know you don't have to hide your feelings from me. I care about you a lot."

Hera and Adiya held a lengthy gaze. Something in Hera's eyes seemed hard. It made Adiya want to shrink away. What was wrong with her? She was usually so open to talking, "Hera?"

She gave a sigh, "I know you care about me. I'm just tired is all. I had a nightmare two nights ago and then yesterday's expedition. I've just been feeling a bit down is all."

"You had a nightmare? Why didn't you come see me?"

"Come see- Oh, well, I woke Zeus by mistake, love. He was worried and I stayed with him for the night. He helped me to feel better."

"Really?"

"Really. Come on, Adiya. Zeus is waiting downstairs as we speak. We really must get going-"

"Wait. You said my name."

"I- well, of course. Why wouldn't I?"

"Yesterday, you couldn't. Why can you now?" Adiya looked up at her with a confused expression.

"What's with all of the questions? So what I couldn't yesterday, now I can. Isn't that what matters?"

"I-I guess so…"

"Ah, Adiya, you get worked up over one bad morning. Drop it."

"Hera, I just want to show you that I care. I'm sorry for being annoying."

"It's fine. I just wish you'd stop being so obnoxiously-" Adiya cut her off with a kiss on the lips. Hera tasted different than she expected. There was a slight tingle on her lips that felt familiar. Hera held her by the waist and pulled her closer when they separated Hera's hands ran up her body and rubbed her shoulders, "Well. That explains a lot."

"What is it?"

"Just a few questions I had...but what about Zeus?" Hera's eyes widened in worry. Adiya cupped her chin, "He's not here. He's downstairs."

Adiya reached up to kiss her again when Hera closed her eyes and pulled away, "No. You shouldn't."

"Hera-"

"Adiya, he's not downstairs."

"What-what do you mean?"

Hera opened her eyes and Adiya realized the mistake she made. In place of Hera's warm, brown eyes were Zeus' cold, blue ones. He glared at her and Adiya fell backwards as he stood, towering over her, "This is why you've been avoiding me. Why you two spend so much time together. She's been bedding you."

"No. No! We haven't-!"

"Silence! I won't speak a word to her, but _you_. I have a punishment in mind for you, _wench_."

"Zeus, I apologize-"

"Shut up. You, you stay away from her. Those daily outings. Those private conversations. No more. Either you reject her advances or you come up with a petty excuse."

"But Zeus-"

"I should've listened to my instincts. I took you into _my_ home because I pitied your existence. I brought you here to help you escape your abusive household in exchange for your service to _me_ and _me_ only," Zeus grabbed Adiya's arm and pulled her to him. "I intend to keep it as such, on the bed."

"Zeus-"

"Bed. Now, or would you prefer me to be in my wife's form, _traitor_ ," Zeus' eyes flashed and he pushed her toward the bed. Adiya fell backward on it. She scrambled to sit up but Zeus pushed her back down. Adiya cried out but Zeus muffled her screams with his hand. He began to pull off her dress and she scratched at his shoulders and kicked at his stomach and legs but he pinned her bottom half down with his legs and weight. He was too heavy and strong to push off. He let out a growl and his eyes had a dangerous glow to them. He ripped her dress off.

Adiya began to cry. She shook her head as she continued to pry him off but eventually he forced himself inside. She tried moving his hand to call for help. To call for Hera or Artemis. One of the servants in the temple, but no one heard her. Nobody came. Zeus lifted himself so they were eye to eye. He was so different to when they first met. His eyes were merciless. Cruel. He snarled at her. She continued to cry, it hurt. Her stomach felt sore and there was a sharp pain in her vaginal area. Then he did something he hadn't done before. He sealed the fate between Hera and Adiya the way it always went down between Hera and a mistress of Zeus. She felt him reach his peak and let go inside.

As he finished, he stood and readied himself. Adiya curled up into a ball and sobbed. She covered her face with one hand and hugged her knees with the other. As he left he told her, "Get dressed. Breakfast is cold."


End file.
